State pays Deloitte Ireland €10.45m in consultancy fees

The Irish government has paid Deloitte Ireland €10.45 million in consultancy fees since the beginning of last year to support efforts addressing the international protection accommodation crisis and the humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine. The latest figures, released by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, reveal that the state allocated €2.45 million to Deloitte Ireland LLP during the second quarter of 2026 alone. This includes €2.07 million for international protection (IP) accommodation-related activities and €378,687 for Ukrainian accommodation and associated expenses. Since January 2025, the combined payments to Deloitte Ireland from both the Department of Justice and the Department of Integration amount to €10.45 million. Of this sum, €8.86 million was directed toward IP accommodation and related costs, while an additional €1.6 million was allocated to Ukrainian accommodation initiatives. These figures highlight the ongoing financial commitment by the state to manage the complex challenges posed by the influx of asylum seekers and displaced persons from Ukraine. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice stated that Deloitte’s consultancy services have been instrumental in improving operational efficiency and lowering service costs within the framework of the international protection system. The department emphasized that the firm’s involvement has spanned several years, focusing on continuous process refinement and cost reduction strategies. However, when asked for specific details regarding their engagement with the Department of Justice, a Deloitte Ireland representative declined to comment, stating that they were unable to provide information on individual client projects. Beyond its role in the international protection sector, Deloitte Ireland also received €1.07 million in the same period for technical support and maintenance services provided to the Department of Information Management and Technology (IM&T). This separate contract underscores the broader range of consultancy services offered by the firm to public sector clients. The overall expenditure on international protection and Ukrainian accommodation services has reached unprecedented levels, with the state allocating €317.05 million to commercial operators for the care of IP applicants and Ukrainian nationals between April and June 2026. On average, this equates to approximately €3.48 million spent daily. Meanwhile, the funding for Ukrainian accommodation has shown a notable decline, with payments totaling €61.45 million for the same period. Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, noted in a parliamentary response that the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) are actively reviewing existing commercial contracts to enhance service quality and ensure better governance and compliance. He highlighted that the implementation of a new rate card model in May 2025 has contributed significantly to cost reductions for both new and renewed contracts. The minister also revealed that the budget for IPAS accommodation and support services for 2025 was set at €1.2 billion, which has since been adjusted downward to over €1.1 billion for 2026.