Ken O’Flynn TD has called on the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to require Garda and Criminal Assets Bureau checks on the directors and owners of companies paid to run international protection accommodation, after the Minister confirmed that no such checks are carried out.
In reply to parliamentary questions from the Independent Ireland TD for Cork, Minister Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that companies offering IPAS accommodation are required to sign a notarised declaration stating that they are free of convictions for corruption, fraud or membership of a criminal organisation. The Minister confirmed that this declaration “is not checked with An Garda Síochána.”
The Department’s own checks on providers are carried out through the Companies Registration Office, and it does not appraise the wider commercial groups that providers may be part of.
IPAS currently accommodates nearly 32,000 people in 294 centres. The Minister said 46 contracts have ended since 2025, but did not say how many were ended over concerns about the integrity or conduct of the provider.
Deputy O’Flynn said: “This is one of the largest streams of public money going to private operators in the country, and the main safeguard against criminals getting their hands on it is a form the company fills in and signs itself. Nobody checks it with the Gardaí. Nobody checks who is really behind the company.”
That is not due diligence. That is an honour system,” he said.