DUBLIN, Eire: State spending on housing asylum seekers rose by 19 p.c in 2025 to 1.2 billion euros, despite the fact that new asylum functions fell by 29 p.c that yr.
New figures from the Minister for Justice, Dwelling Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, present that spending elevated by 195 million euros — from 1.005 billion euros in 2024 to 1.2 billion euros in 2025.
The 1.2 billion euros spent in 2025 equals a median each day price of about 3.29 million euros. This whole is sort of twice the 2023 spending of 651.7 million euros.
In written replies within the Dáil to Impartial Eire TD Ken O’Flynn, O’Callaghan stated these prices cowl lodging for worldwide safety candidates, in addition to transport, facility administration, utilities, and different associated bills.
O’Callaghan instructed the Cork North Central TD that the State is presently accommodating over 33,000 individuals searching for worldwide safety in additional than 312 Worldwide Safety Lodging Service (IPAS) centres across the nation.
Of the 33,000 residents, greater than 9,700 are kids, O’Callaghan stated.
He stated, “Offering receptive situations to people who find themselves making use of for worldwide safety is a part of EU and Irish legislation.”
O’Callaghan revealed that on the finish of 2025, there have been 33,241, a decline of 533 from 33,774 in IPAS centres on the finish of 2024.
In a separate written Dáil reply to Fianna Fáil TD John Connolly, O’Callaghan revealed that the variety of new functions final yr totalled 13,160, as in opposition to 18,500 for 2024 – a drop of 29 p.c.
In 2025, IP candidates from Somalia have been ranked first with 2,021, adopted by Nigeria – 1940, Pakistan – 1,680, and Afghanistan – 1,290.
O’Callaghan stated that in 2025, the Worldwide Safety Workplace made greater than 20,200 first choices on asylum functions, and about 81% of them have been refusals.
He additionally instructed O’Flynn that folks presently staying in IPAS lodging centres spend a median of 24.8 months there throughout all 312 centres.
He defined that the federal government confronted important difficulties discovering lodging amid a surge in asylum functions between 2022 and 2024. Though the scenario is beginning to enhance, many results of that surge are nonetheless being felt.
Throughout these years, greater than 45,000 extra candidates arrived in Eire, in contrast with the same old 8,000 to 9,000 over a traditional three-year interval. This sharp improve put heavy stress on housing, software processing, and ready instances. Due to this, the federal government is making an attempt to shorten the time individuals spend in IPAS by rushing up software choices.
O’Callaghan added that the variety of new functions final yr fell by about one-third in comparison with the earlier yr.
He stated that, as a consequence of a scarcity of lodging and the necessity to prioritize probably the most weak, IPAS can not presently provide housing to all single male candidates upon arrival. The variety of individuals ready for lodging is now 453, down from a peak of three,500 in March 2025.
Talking about prices, O’Callaghan stated the federal government can be working to offer extra state-owned lodging as a result of it’s cheaper than renting from personal corporations. He famous that the state’s buy of Citywest in 2025 was an vital step, rising state-owned mattress areas from about 900 in 2024 to over 4,000 now.
Nonetheless, he stated personal lodging will nonetheless be wanted within the medium time period. The division is reviewing and renegotiating contracts as they finish, utilizing a brand new pricing system that has already saved about 77 million euros since Might 2025.
