Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

The most important point to make about direct provision is that approximately 75% of people who seek asylum end up in direct provision. It is possible for people to turn it down. It is an offer, not a requirement. Approximately 25% of people choose not to take up the offer and they live with family, friends or whatever it is. The figures on that have varied over the years as I understand it. In fact, the figures for people who chose not to go into direct provision were significantly higher some years ago and have been lower in other years. That is a very important point about direct provision. In that sense, it is voluntary. It is voluntary, recognising, however, that people very often turn up with nothing. They have to take what they can get in that context, I suppose. The rate of payment is handled by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. It has been increased from €21.60 per adult to €38.80 per adult per week and from €15.60 per child to €29.80 per child. This is in the context of the direct provision arrangement, which provides for housing, full board, basic medical requirements and so on. Every asylum seeker in direct provision has a medical card, which is also covered in the normal way. Of course, they also have access to education facilities. The payment has to be understood in that context. It is from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.