New Report on LGBTI+ People Living in International Protection Accommodation Launched
Minister Roderic O’Gorman has launched a report which sets out new recommendations to support members of the LGBTI+ community living in International Protection accommodation.
The report, produced by LGBT Ireland, was commissioned in September 2022 with the aim of guiding the Department on how best to meet its objective of ensuring that LGBTI+ residents in IPAS accommodation are supported and treated sensitively, and follows a recommendation in the LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy.
The researchers conducted focus groups with LGBTI+ people who are living in IPAS-provided accommodation, and policy recommendations include:
- House Rules must be updated as a matter of urgency to include explicit statements that discrimination and harassment of LGBTI+ individuals are not accepted.
- Trauma-informed training for accommodation centre staff and management, as well as IPAS officials, must be provided.
- Training on issues pertaining to the LGBTI+ community must be provided to accommodation centre staff and management.
- Opportunities that would foster solidarity between LGBTI+ residents must be facilitated.