Cancelled IPAS & TPD accommodation contracts highlight need for urgent review – Carthy

Revelations about recent IPAS contract terminations highlight the urgent need for a full examination of profiteering in the provision of IPAS accommodation, according to Sinn Féin.

The party's spokesperson on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Matt Carthy’s comments come as a reply to his parliamentary question shows that 12 IPAS contracts were terminated, as of July 24 this year, compared to four in the whole of 2024.

“The government will spend an estimated €1.2 billion this year on IPAS accommodation,” said Deputy Carthy. “Hundreds of millions more will be spent on accommodation for Ukrainians. A small number of private operators are making literal fortunes from the government’s dysfunctional approach.

“The least that people should expect is that there is absolute accountability and transparency on how this public money is spent. In the first instance, there is an urgent need for full examination in relation to the granting of IPAS and Ukrainian TPD accommodation contracts.

He referenced a media report on how the Department of Justice had continued to lease accommodation for Ukrainian refugees from a company that reportedly supplied fake Garda vetting clearances to Tusla.

"There are clearly questions around how this company continued to provide accommodation for Ukrainians after Tusla severed ties with them.

“There was also a recent revelation that the government had paid millions for IPAS accommodation to a company owned by a man currently awaiting sentencing for violent disorder and named by the Criminal Assets Bureau as being linked to the Drogheda gang feud."

While Deputy Carthy observed the "a sharp rise" in the number of contracts cancelled, he alleged there is "virtually no transparency" in the process.

“Figures revealed to me in reply to a parliamentary question show that there has been a significant increase in the number of IPAS contracts terminated for noncompliance. Twelve contracts were terminated in the first half of 2025 compared to four in all of 2024.

“This is significant and suggests that there weren’t sufficient checks before contracts were granted to those seeking to profit from the governments failures in relation to the international protection system."

The Monaghan based TD said that we shouldn't have to rely on media exposing revelations in relation to companies involved in the provision of this accommodation.

"It is now time for full transparency in terms of 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.”