Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The Ombudsman for Children today laid before the Dáil a special report on the safety and welfare of children in direct provision. This is the first time in their 20-year history that they have taken this action, which really illustrates the seriousness of these issues and of their concerns. They want this report to spur Government on to meet the commitments made in 2021. One of those commitments was in respect of a robust quality assurance mechanism for oversight in these centres. HIQA unfortunately only has oversight in respect of permanent centres whereas the majority of children are housed in emergency accommodation. Indeed there is one opening in my constituency of Wicklow which will house 950 Ukrainian refugees shortly. We are really at risk of repeating the dark mistakes of our past by outsourcing fundamental public services and not protecting our most vulnerable. Why will the Government not require HIQA to oversee these emergency accommodation centres?

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