Sinn Féin calls for urgent review of IPAS following closure of 12 centres this year

Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy said he wants to see 'what checks and balances' are in place to ensure international protection applicants are receiving services they are entitled to. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins

Sinn Féin has called on the Government to begin an "urgent review" of contracts for the international protection accommodation service (IPAS), after 12 centres were closed in the first seven months of the year.

Matt Carthy, the party's justice spokesman, said the Government must be transparent on the provision of "IPAS and Ukrainian accommodation, the extortionate prices being paid, the fact that a small number of people have become millionaires and how in some cases people and companies with no track record have secured lucrative contracts".

"That has to happen as a matter of urgency," he added.

The total number of closures, 12, is more than three times as many IPAS centres that were closed in 2024.

The Irish Examiner previously reported there were 490 beds removed from the IPAS system due to the closures.

The department of justice said these closures were due to issues of non-compliance with regulations or contractual breaches. The figures from the department are up to late July.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Carthy said he wants to see a "full and detailed analysis" of every company that has received a contract to run an IPAS centre.

Mr Carthy said he wants to see “what checks and balances” are in place to ensure international protection applicants are receiving services they are entitled to.

He said he also wants to ensure the taxpayer is getting “good value for money”. Last year, figures from the Department of Justice showed there was €1bn spent on IPAS accommodation.

“That is, in any estimation, a huge sum of money and the very least, as I say, that the public deserve is that there is full accountability and transparency in terms of how that money has been spent.”