Sir, – I read with interest the analysis as to whether the Taoiseach was correct in linking increased immigration to an increase in homelessness figures (“Fact check: Are immigration and homelessness figures linked?”, Analysis, September 24th).
You correctly conclude that people granted leave to remain in the State (usually after their international protection claim is rejected) being forced to leave international protection applicant service (IPAS) accommodation is a factor but are coy on the figures involved and the reason for them.
A key factor in over 6,000 people currently in IPAS having leave to remain was the foolish decision by the Minister for Justice to grant leave to remain to 3,000 people that were more than two years in the asylum process in early 2022. This added to an existing problem and two years later has resulted in both families and individuals being forced out of IPAS into emergency accommodation to make way for new arrivals.
Given that the latest figures show International Protection Office applications pending are 23,727, while the International Protection Appeals Tribunal has 6,748 applications appealing negative decisions on hand, the problem of people with status of some sort being forced into homelessness is only going to increase.
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Perhaps our esteemed President (when not running an alternative Department of Foreign Affairs and cosying up to a murderous Iranian regime) can suggest some solutions, seeing as he claims to be an expert in the immigration area since 1968. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL FLYNN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – I was saddened to read that Minister for Immigration Roderic O’Gorman is “under increasing accommodation pressures of his own”. If he’s really stuck, I could offer him my spare room for a couple of weeks. – Yours, etc,
TERRY PATTISON,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.