1,072 international protection applicants accommodated in Meath

A total of 1,072 international protection applicants are currently accommodated in Meath, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

The figures, correct as of last month, show that Meath has nine centres housing the 1,072 residents,

Neighbouring Cavan has three international protection accommodation centres housing 138 residents; while Westmeath has 10 centres accommodating 1,149 people, Longford has two centres with 133 residents and Leitrim has two centres housing 201 people, while Monaghan has five centres accommodating 613 people.

Donegal has the largest number of accommodation centres, with 28 housing 2,046 people.

Nationally, there are 294 international protection accommodation centres operating across every county, providing accommodation for 31,646 people.

The Department says the rapid expansion of accommodation between 2022 and 2024 followed the arrival of more than 45,000 international protection applicants, alongside the need to provide up to 60,000 beds for people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The Government says it is now pursuing reforms aimed at improving value for money, strengthening oversight and moving away from commercial accommodation towards greater State ownership.

The Department has also said faster processing under the EU Migration Pact should reduce the length of time applicants spend in accommodation, helping to bring down the overall cost of the system.