Figures show most international protection applicants are accommodated outside Dublin

Contrary to frequent claims online, official accommodation data shows that the majority of international protection applicants are housed outside Dublin, with centres spread across every region of the country.

Department of Integration figures indicate that rural counties and regional towns account for a substantial proportion of IPAS accommodation, reflecting capacity constraints in the capital and the State’s policy of dispersal.

Campaigners have raised concerns about the impact on local services in smaller communities, while Government officials maintain that dispersal is necessary to avoid overwhelming any single area.

The data challenges narratives suggesting that Dublin bears the overwhelming burden of asylum accommodation, highlighting instead the nationwide nature of the system.