Ms Sue Conlan:

The centres that sometimes give less cause for complaints are those in which there is more autonomy. For example, if one is in a chalet as opposed to living in a room on a corridor sharing facilities such as bathrooms, there can be less cause for complaints. Mosney in County Meath is often held up as the best example within that system of institutionalised living. However, there is still a canteen to which people must go. Mount Trenchard in Foynes, County Limerick, is completely unsuitable and is seriously damaging the health of the men there. Some 40% of the residents of Mount Trenchard are victims of torture and are receiving services from SPIRASI, which is coming before the committee this afternoon. Mount Trenchard was a school and provides dormitory style accommodation which is unsuitable for grown men who are attempting to rebuild their lives. Even in Galway, some centres do not have the same level of complaints as those where some recent protests have taken place. This is partly to do with management and how the staff approach it and also the nature of the facility. The management can make the system a little better.

A month or two ago, complaints were made at Mount Trenchard and there was a protest. There was mediation and the owner agreed to deal with issues within a specified period of time. Of the residents who were calmly advocating for change, two were immediately moved, one with a Garda escort, as Mr. Ng'ang'a said, within ten minutes of the meeting ending. I have known of vindictive behaviour in the form of transfers of people who have spoken out, not just on their own behalf but on behalf of others. I have not personally known of anybody’s application suffering. I know of people who have, as Mr. Ng'ang'a said, had the Garda called and been threatened with criminal prosecution when they have attempted to raise a complaint. These are real cases we have known about in the past.