Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

It will give me the greatest pleasure to deal with it on Committee Stage but I want to focus on what is within the Minister's competency. The reality is that it is taking years for applications to be processed to completion.

What checks and balances are in place to ensure that these asylum centres are up to an acceptable standard of accommodation? I have visited some of these centres throughout the country and I am aware that there is a serious problem with depression and isolation among the people there. They have nothing to do and all day to do it for up to a decade while they are waiting for decisions to be made.

I refer to the comments made by a public health nurse about a facility in County Roscommon. She said that for babies learning to crawl and for toddlers learning to walk there is physically no room in the accommodation for them. Does the Minister stand over such a situation? Will he outline the reason only 60% of the target number of inspections of asylum accommodation centres are taking place?

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