Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that implementation of the White Paper is key. We have to learn from the fact that parts of the McMahon report were not implemented. What we set out in the White Paper is a transition team. It is made up of new civil servants in my Department with the specific job of changing the system. I am not asking the people who are running the existing system and have their hands full with that to bring in the new system. Rather, I have set up a new team, the international protection support service, to do so. It is overseen by a programme board staffed by representatives of my Department and other Departments such as the Departments of Justice and Education and involving local authorities and the Housing Agency to bring in that wider degree of expertise because, as we know, dealing with the accommodation needs of international protection applicants will be very important. Finally, there is an advisory committee comprising three people who have an independent oversight role and a responsibility to, I suppose, hold my feet and those of the Government to the fire in terms of making sure we implement in a timely fashion.

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