Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 8 July 2021

Committee on Public Petitions

Direct Provision Policy and Related Matters: Discussion

Mr. Nick Henderson:

I can take up the points the Deputy made about Covid-19. I am just getting the data. I understand that 670 cases were involved. Direct provision was the second most likely location of infection, second only to accommodation within the Traveller community. The final statement was that people living in direct provision were at greater risk of infection because of their location but not because of their personal profiles. I will get that information and come back to the point.

The Deputy also raised the issue of people being moved at short notice. That has always occurred. It is important, on one hand, to close emergency centres because they can be plainly unsuitable and are likely not to have support networks for their residents. At the same time, however, the closure of emergency centres must be done in a sensitive way so that people who may have built connections within the community are not simply removed at short notice, which was the point to which the Deputy referred. I will pass across to Dr. Lannon. I am getting the data on the Covid infection point and will come back to it shortly.