Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. One of the people I have met has refugee status and been trying for over a year to find accommodation but without success. Some of the people who are the subject of deportation orders do not, for various reasons, believe it is safe to go back to their country of origin and are going to try, for obvious reasons, to fight the deportation order for as long as it takes.

I welcome what the Minister of State said about people being supported in finding accommodation. However, we know that there is a crisis in the provision of accommodation and I feel for those who have been granted leave to remain but who are still living in direct provision accommodation because they have nowhere else to go. They are under terrible stress because they have been told they will have to move out. I know that they have been offered a meeting, although I am not sure if it is with the Minister or departmental officials. I am concerned about the way in which letters arrive to people who are extremely vulnerable, some of whom have been here for a long time. I accept the Minister of State's point that some of them should have left, but they are still here. In some cases, their children were born here. They are in a really difficult situation. The letters also state the RIA has a limited supply of accommodation to cater for new applicants, but according to RIA data, as of the end of August, there were 464 spare places available in direct provision centres.

As the Minister of State is aware, there was a recent Supreme Court case on the right of asylum seekers to work. A task force has been given six months to look at the implications of the court's ruling. One can only imagine how demoralising it is for those who are unable to work. The day stretches out endlessly in front of them. There are people here who have valuable skills who want to contribute to society and would be able to do so. However, they are unable to work. When does the Minister of State expect to receive the report? I know that the task force was given six months in which to report, but does the Minister of State have any idea whether it will report within six months or whether it will take longer to do so?

See this speech in context