Results 1-20 of 27 for "direct provision" segment:5797558

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mr. Brian Purcell: We did the value for money report and it indicated there was no way we could introduce a system that could be run more cost effectively. My recollection is that direct provision costs the State one third less than it would cost another system to deliver. As Accounting Officer for the Department of Justice and Equality, I know that if all the direct provision costs in my...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The commitment from Government is very clear. The direct provision is identified as problematic as a place of detention for people in the asylum process. We all know the new legislation is on the way. When the new legislative mechanisms are in place and assuming they work well and efficiently, what is the alternative system other than direct provision that will be in place for persons who...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mr. Brian Purcell: I think, certainly in the short term, that will be the case. It would appear that the options are limited. People would be in either direct provision or in another system outside direct provision.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mr. Brian Purcell: What I am saying is that this will happen in stages. Before we can move away from direct provision, we must first reduce the numbers. I suppose we could just take the numbers in direct provision and move them out of it, but we are not in a position to do that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

...is enacted, it should put us in a position in which we will be able to gradually reduce the numbers in the asylum process. This in turn would enable us to reduce and gradually move away from the direct provision system. It should facilitate speedier processing of cases. If the Deputy is asking for a target date as to when there will be no more direct provision, I cannot give that at...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...the current long and torturous procedure for applicants is shortened, mitigated and made more transparent, fair and timely. However, I am concerned that if the settled position is to move away from direct provision, it would be a matter of good planning that the Department, under the direction of the Secretary General, would be considering the various models and planning for that change....

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...things being equal, that should reduce the waiting time for applicants, all of which would be tremendously welcome. That point has been well made. Given that the commitment is to move away from direct provision, not just to reduce the numbers in direct provision, would it not be wise for the Department to consider what the alternative model might look like, its shape, and the cost...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Derek Nolan: My question was whether direct provision was initially introduced with a maximum envisaged time limit of six months.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mr. Brian Purcell: There is direct provision where they are provided with a certain amount each week. They are provided with all their needs - food, clothing, accommodation, medical care. Children attend schools in the areas where the centres would be located, so there is access to education. I am not sure-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will Mr. Purcell outline what, if any, measures have been taken to set the scene for the wind-down of direct provision? He will be aware that the Government made a commitment to do this.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is not the Secretary General's understanding that the objective is to wind down the system of direct provision.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

...move out of the system there would be an accompanying winding down. If the Deputy is asking in the event of the legislation being enacted if we will immediately take everyone who is left out of direct provision, I cannot say "Yes" to that question.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Has the Secretary General explored what that other system outside direct provision might be?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Has the Minister asked the officials in the Department to look at the alternative models to direct provision?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I hear the point about the legislation and I understand that the legislation if it is more efficient will reduce the numbers in direct provision. I have heard that but I am asking a different question.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: What is the Secretary General's understanding of the programme for Government commitments around direct provision?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: So the Secretary General does not understand there is a Government commitment to the ending of direct provision as the system operated by the State?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: There will always be people in the system. My question is whether the State envisages a new system other than direct provision for providing for these people while their applications are in process. The Secretary General is telling me that he has not been asked to look at that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...process which would be welcome. Outside of that, is the Secretary General saying the Department has not taken any other initiatives and that nothing else has been done to pave the way for an end to direct provision? He will be aware that a clear commitment was made.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor
Vote 19 - Justice and Equality
Chapter 15: Lease of Accommodation for a Probation Service Project (21 Mar 2013)

...to put in place a panel with legal expertise that will assist us in processing a cohort of cases. In turn, that should speed up the overall process. Until such time as the Bill is enacted I think direct provision will continue for some time to come. I would not like to mislead anybody by saying that I think that will change dramatically over a short period.