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

As the Deputy is aware following our earlier discussions, we are working with HIQA to implement the commitment for HIQA to monitor International Protection Accommodation Service, IPAS, centres against national standards adopted in 2019 and in effect since the beginning of 2021. Planning is well advanced on this process. Detailed work is being undertaken by my Department, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, to provide the necessary legal basis for HIQA's monitoring role. The aim is that this will be done by means of regulation by statutory instrument.

As part of the development of the inspection process, HIQA established an advisory group comprising members from my Department and other stakeholder organisations. My Department holds monthly meetings with HIQA to advance this project.

Ahead of commencing inspections of all permanent centres, HIQA will conduct a series of pilot inspections and it is envisaged that these pilot inspections will take place before the end of the year. As I said, early next year we will be looking for the overall process of inspections to be rolled out. IPAS accommodation centres are currently subject to regular unannounced inspections both by departmental officials and by the independent inspectorate company that I spoke about earlier.

People working in international protection accommodation would require to be Garda vetted because many of these centres would have children present.

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