Mr. Joe Moore:

I can give an overall view in response to Deputy Mary Lou McDonald's question. Fortunately or unfortunately, I am not a resident. The management of these centres determines whether residents can have visitors. Security firms are employed and they log when the residents go in and out. There are instant room inspections which sometimes can happen when the residents are not even in the room. Management and some of the staff will go and check the rooms. There is some media evidence with regard to the food provided. The residents in Eyre Powell hostel in Newbridge, County Kildare, last year contacted the local media about conditions in the hostel, including the food provided. The food is prepared and meals are at laid down times. The menu and quantity of food are decided by management, even so far as rationing the number of slices of bread that can be taken. It is generally oppressive.

Josephine spoke about children not being aware of what a microwave oven was. Families are living in one room. Anecdotally, in a primary school a child was asked to name the furniture one would have in a bedroom and a microwave oven was one of the pieces of furniture named. Children are growing up and they have not seen their parents prepare meals and so forth. There was a recent report by the Irish Refugee Council on the effect the direct provision system has specifically on children.