Plans to Charge Asylum Seekers for Accommodation Delayed as Committee Calls for Contract Review
Published
The Irish Government has delayed its plans to charge residents of the International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) for their accommodation. The decision follows a demand from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which has asked for an urgent review of the contracts between the State and the private providers who run many of the centres.
The PAC says it has found what it describes as "serious deficiencies in financial control". Committee members are particularly concerned about fire certificates, which are official documents showing that a building meets safety rules. The committee wants the Government to take firm action to fix these problems before any new charges are introduced. It is calling for stronger checks on how public money is spent on accommodation for people seeking international protection.
The proposed charges were part of a wider effort to reduce the cost of the system to the taxpayer. However, the delay means that residents will not have to pay for their accommodation for now. Officials have not yet given a new date for when the plans might go ahead. Critics of the system have welcomed the call for a review, while supporters of the charges say the State should not pay the full cost of accommodation for people who may have jobs.
The review of provider contracts is expected to take some time. For people living in Ipas centres across Ireland, the outcome may affect their living conditions, their costs and the services they receive in the coming months.
Sources: Irish Independent
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