Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Committee on Public Petitions

Direct Provision Policy and Related Matters: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Pádraig O'SullivanPádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. This is an issue which many of us have taken an interest in over the last number of years. I have many questions and, hopefully, I can stay on for the second round of questions as well. My first question is about the establishment of these reception and integration centres and the stipulation that ideally people will be kept there for four months. I assume that is while their applications are being processed. Reading Dr. Lynch's statement, the total budget allocated for the Department for 2022 is €28.1 million. The concern I have is how to bridge that gap between how we think people will stay in this accommodation for four months and the budget, as welcome as it is, of €28.1 million which probably will not scratch the surface in providing accommodation for those applicants who are subsequently successful. How realistic is that ambition to deliver this accommodation given that €28.1 million would not scratch the surface in terms of providing the number of properties that are probably required?

The second question is linked to that. It is evident we are in the middle of a housing crisis at the moment. Could the Secretary General comment on making that ambition a reality?

I wish to clarify two other points and I will give the remaining time to the Secretary General. The Secretary General said in his submission that income support payments will be provided. Can he clarify what he means? We know of the very small amount of money asylum seekers receive each week at present. It is hardly an amount on which they could sustain themselves if they were in their own turnkey property. Can the Secretary General clarify what income support payments will be provided? Will it change from the current system?

My final point relates to child welfare and the process of inspections or lack thereof in the system. Dr. Muldoon was before this committee some months ago and his report was fairly damning in that regard. Could the Secretary General give us an update on the number of inspections that have happened since then because there were concerns that inspections were not taking place? Does he have any detail on that?

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