Citywest Transit Hub to pause entry of new International Protection arrivals to its emergency accommodation area

Citywest Transit Hub will remain fully operational for processing but will not provide overflow emergency shelter to adult International Protection applicants.

To date, Ireland has accommodated more than 73,000 people who have fled here, between International Protection (IP) applicants and those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The response to the ongoing migration crisis has now entered an extremely difficult phase, with insufficient accommodation available nationwide for International Protection applicants, and the outlook for accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine is also challenging.

As a result of this, it has now become necessary to pause the provision of emergency shelter for IP adults arriving into the Transit Hub at Citywest.

In a statement, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth said:

“The Transit Hub will remain open for all other matters, including processing of accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP).

“The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) will continue to provide accommodation for IP families with children.

“Due to the nationwide shortage of available accommodation for IP applicants, particularly single males, the Transit Hub has been providing emergency shelter while applicants wait to be assigned to accommodation.

“It is no longer possible to provide emergency shelter to IP adults as the Transit Hub has now reached capacity.

“Any International Protection applicants who are not provided with accommodation upon arrival or when applying for International Protection at the international Protection Office will have their contact details taken and be contacted as soon as accommodation becomes available.

“The policy will be kept under review, taking account of arrivals of Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection and International Protection applicants and of available accommodation.”