Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will ask about the different stages of the mobilisation, and about the different facilities provided in the emergency accommodation versus those in centres. Most of the centres are former hotels. Some of the hotels and guest houses are solely dedicated to emergency accommodation. There are no other people in this accommodation, although a certain number of rooms are set aside in some hotels. Any of the centres I have encountered are dedicated solely for emergency purposes. We need to know what is the difference in the quality of service for the people who arrive here versus the other accommodation provided.

The other issue I wish to mention, which I believe RTÉ highlighted, is that we had a detailed discussion regarding the costs of direct provision, and it emerged long after our meeting that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had allocated part of its overseas development aid, ODA, budget towards provision for people who arrive here seeking asylum for their first 12 months here. We were never told that and I am disappointed at the way this Department works. The public were entitled to believe that the committee had a full, frank and complete discussion on the cost of the direct provision centres with the Department of Justice and Equality and that that was the full picture. It transpired shortly after meeting, according to a report published by RTÉ, that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade expended considerable millions of euros in recent years from the ODA budget to meet our international targets for people who come to Ireland from these countries. The first full 12 months of their accommodation is included in the ODA budget. They are helping people from foreign countries, even though the service is being provided here. For the 12 months after they have been granted status the Department can also include that in the ODA budget. We are writing immediately to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for a complete breakdown on that. On behalf of the committee, it is disappointing that this silo mentality is operating within the Government. We could be here talking to the Department of Justice and Equality believing that we were dealing with full picture, and it fully knew that some of the funding for the direct provision centres was coming from another Department.