The Department of Justice’s International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) released its latest weekly statistics covering the period to 22 February 2026. The report shows 33,170 asylum applicants housed across 309 sites nationwide—a marginal drop of 71 residents since year-end but still a record February figure. Single males make up 52 percent of the week’s 199 new arrivals, with children accounting for 27 percent. Nigeria (8,043 residents) remains the largest nationality in IPAS accommodation, followed by Somalia and Pakistan. Emergency hotel use has fallen to just one centre, but tented sites still host 6,911 people as winter capacity pressures continue. Business-mobility relevance: companies operating corporate housing portfolios are seeing knock-on effects, with long-stay hotel inventory diverted to IPAS and higher rates in the private-rental market for assignees. Several relocation providers report wait-lists of up to six weeks for temporary accommodation in Dublin and Cork.
![Irish Asylum Accommodation Tops 33,170 Residents as Weekly Arrivals Hold Steady]()
For companies and individuals navigating the visa and work-authorisation maze that often accompanies these mobility challenges, VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) can streamline the process with up-to-date requirements, application tracking and concierge support, helping assignees and HR teams avoid delays while the accommodation market remains tight.
Policy context: the Government’s International Protection Bill 2026 aims to speed up processing and reduce reliance on commercial hotels, but it has yet to clear Committee Stage in the Dáil. In the interim, the Department last week chartered a removal flight to South Africa and is expanding voluntary-return support, signalling a harder line on unfounded claims. Practical guidance: global mobility teams sending expatriates to Ireland should (1) budget for extended temporary housing and (2) engage destination-service providers early, especially for family moves. Employers with international protection applicants in their workforce—common in agriculture and food-processing—should monitor processing times that currently average 18 months and plan contract extensions accordingly.
For companies and individuals navigating the visa and work-authorisation maze that often accompanies these mobility challenges, VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) can streamline the process with up-to-date requirements, application tracking and concierge support, helping assignees and HR teams avoid delays while the accommodation market remains tight.
Policy context: the Government’s International Protection Bill 2026 aims to speed up processing and reduce reliance on commercial hotels, but it has yet to clear Committee Stage in the Dáil. In the interim, the Department last week chartered a removal flight to South Africa and is expanding voluntary-return support, signalling a harder line on unfounded claims. Practical guidance: global mobility teams sending expatriates to Ireland should (1) budget for extended temporary housing and (2) engage destination-service providers early, especially for family moves. Employers with international protection applicants in their workforce—common in agriculture and food-processing—should monitor processing times that currently average 18 months and plan contract extensions accordingly.
