10k moved from IPAS to community housing in 3 years
More than 10,000 people with status have successfully moved out of IPAS and found their own community accommodation in the last three years.
In a written response to a parliamentary question last week, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said that approximately 4,000 of those individuals moved out in 2025 alone.
“People who have been granted status are no longer entitled to material reception conditions,” O’Callaghan said.
“As such, they have no legal entitlement to IPAS accommodation.”
The Fianna Fáil Minister was responding to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan, who had questioned the measures taken to ensure the suitability of accommodation for people with serious medical conditions. The Dublin Bay North TD also asked for the number of transfers that have been stopped or reversed due to the presence of serious medical conditions in 2024 and 2025.
Minister O’Callaghan said that IPAS has procedures in place for considering cases based on medical or welfare priority.
“Transfers to temporary alternative emergency accommodation are offered to those longest with status,” he said.
He added that this applies “if they have not sourced their own accommodation by a defined date.”
O’Callaghan added that those undergoing specialist treatment or who may need to live within a reasonable travelling distance to a hospital are considered under these procedures. He noted that households to be transferred can contact IPAS directly via email or speak to their centre manager if they feel they cannot transfer.
The Minister confirmed that residents are asked to submit relevant medical documentation for consideration by IPAS.
“Since 2024, 234 households with status have been permitted to remain in their accommodation,” O’Callaghan said, adding that this was “based on medical or welfare” grounds
The International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) is responsible for providing accommodation and coordinates the provision of services to international protection applicants.
As the number of people with status in the system remains high, the government has been under pressure to transition those with legal permission to remain in the state into the private housing market to free up space for new incoming arrivals.
