Dáil debates
Tuesday, 7 November 2023
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Child Safety
8:00 pm
John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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39. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if staff employed by private bodies contracted by the State to provide accommodation to the international protection accommodation services, IPAS, and beneficiaries of temporary protection, BOTPs, have received child safety training or been vetted by An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48546/23]
John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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I want to ask about Garda vetting and child safety training which might or might not be mandatory for staff working in accommodation provided on behalf of IPAS and being used by people seeking temporary protection.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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When an accommodation centre is opened, a designated member of IPAS is responsible for informing centre management of its mandatory obligation to ensure that all staff who are working with children must complete the Children First e-learning module. The designated member ensures that centre managers are categorised as designated liaison persons under Children First and notifies them that they are required to make mandatory reports of concerns relating to children resident in the centre.
A designated team in IPAS is responsible for notifying the centre manager that it is mandatory for anyone who is undertaking relevant work in an accommodation centre to be Garda vetted, regardless of whether this is on a permanent, temporary, full-time or part-time basis. Garda vetting is a requirement for any staff who undertake work that is a necessary and regular part of consists of having access to or contact with children.
The designated member monitors the centre’s adherence with requirements of the Tusla child safeguarding statement compliance unit. Where centres have not submitted their child safeguarding statement to the compliance unit, they are requested by IPAS to submit the statement letter as soon as practicable. IPAS continues to engage with Tusla in respect of its report Child Safeguarding Statement Sector Compliance Review: International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS), and to promote and improve child safeguarding practices in all accommodation settings.
With respect to BOTPs, my Department does not always contract entire facilities for use for temporary accommodation in the same manner as is undertaken accommodation for international protection applicants. Many still operate as commercial hospitality settings. My Department refers to industry requirements and best practices in contracts agreed with providers, and it is intended that they adhere to them.
My Department does not employ staff in accommodation settings for Ukrainians and each contractor is responsible for their child safeguarding policy and consequently their Garda vetting policy.
John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister will be aware that the Ombudsman for Children published a report last month which cites concerns that children in direct provision and other forms of accommodation are not safe. He wrote: “How we treat children coming to this country will be a defining issue of our generation, and as things stand, history will not judge us well.” While I welcome the measures in place in respect of IPAS accommodation, there are serious concerns for those who are BOTPs. Part of it is the over-reliance - and I understand we are under severe pressure - on private for-profit accommodation. That should not mean that the same protections are not in place for some 17,000 people under 18 years who have come from Ukraine to seek protection under our care. There are not the same safeguards in the context of Children First training or Garda vetting. There are serious concerns in that regard.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Deputy has referred to both Ukraine and international protection. Regarding Ukrainians, the existing responsibilities of accommodation owners in terms of Garda vetting and child safeguarding policies apply. In the context of international protection and, in particular, the report of the ombudsman, I have clearly set out the child safeguarding measures that apply. Undoubtedly, the accommodation challenges - one of the matters on which the Ombudsman's report focuses - place give rise to real issues when it comes to our ability to give children the very best start in life. That is why my Department has taken steps, in conjunction with Tusla, to put in place family support workers in Tusla areas around the country to support international protection. We provided additional funding to children and young people's services committees, CYPSCs, to undertake specific activities in international protection for the benefit of children and young people.
John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Let us separate the two. In respect of BOTPs, the Minister said that much of this is shared accommodation provided by the private sector. A great deal of that involves the taking over of entire hotels. Even in my constituency, it has involved the use of other kinds of accommodation. There are 750 Ukrainians coming to Wicklow. Is the Minister saying there is no Garda vetting in those situations or that there is no Children First training when we have sole responsibility as the provider? There needs to be a level of protection, not only for those who have come to these shores but also for the staff who work in the centres. Some are very remote and the same safeguards need to be in place to protect the staff and those who have come here, many of whom are extremely vulnerable. Without Garda vetting or Children First training, the State is abdicating its responsibility to ensure that the necessary safeguards are in place.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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We are proposing to open a significant amount of accommodation in the Deputy's constituency. It will be solely for Ukrainians. There will be no commercial element to it. I will come back to the Deputy in writing about Garda vetting and the child safeguarding procedures that will be in place in respect of that accommodation. No doubt similar requirements will apply in Stradbally and other locations. Because there will potentially be a significant number of children accommodated there, we are working very closely with the Department of Education on the educational supports that will be put in place. I am very happy to come back to the Deputy directly on the issues of Garda vetting and child safeguarding.