Kildare's International Protection Accommodation Numbers Show Slight Decline Amid National Surge

Thursday, 30 May 2024 15:46

By Martin Osborne

In Kildare, the figure dropped slightly from 675 to 669.

As of May 19, over 30,000 individuals are being housed by Ireland's International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), a significant increase from the approximately 8,700 people accommodated at the end of February 2022.

Among the current total, 7,494 are children.

The rise mirrors a broader trend seen across many European countries, which are experiencing a notable increase in people seeking international protection (IP).

In May last year in Kildare the figure stood at 675.

This year, however, the figure dropped slightly to 669.

In the first 20 weeks of 2024 alone, nearly 8,000 individuals have sought state-provided accommodation, averaging 398 arrivals per week.

This figure is more than five times the average weekly arrivals between 2017 and 2019.

The highest weekly influx in 2024 peaked at over 610 applicants.

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