Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for that clarification. I realise and openly acknowledge that the Minister inherited this issue. However, we have known for a very long time that direct provision does not work. It isolates people, creates a stigma and is inhuman. The High Court recently ruled in August of this year that the State had utterly failed in its duty to provide for basic needs, including accommodation for international protection applicants and so on. There is any number of reports and judgements telling us that this system is just wrong.

I welcome the progress but could the Minister put the figures into context for me? What are the numbers in direct provision as we speak? How many are in the system that have not gotten their full status and have nowhere to go? How many are children? When will the reception centres be rolled out? Is there a point in time, given that we have had the White Paper, the Day paper, the McMahon report and so on? I do not need to go into the history. I welcome what he is telling me but could the Minister put this progress into context?

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