Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire. I am delighted to see the Minister because an argument is often put forward that the Ministers are too busy to come to the House.

We may not agree on policy issues all the time but he always makes time to come to the House, which I appreciate, especially for an Adjournment matter.

I have raised again the issue of direct provision. Direct provision is an appalling system set up as a privatised system under a Fianna Fáil regime and needs to be reformed. In opposition the Minister was very vocal in respect of the way the system has been set up. The system comprises approximately 37 centres, seven of which are State-owned, the rest are former hotels, guesthouses, hostels, convents, a holiday camp and a mobile home site which are under private ownership by private companies.

Organisations such as the Irish Refugee Council, AkiDwa, Doras Luimní, other refugee support groups and many others have drawn attention to the position in direct provision. I shall use a number of quotes from the Irish Refugee Council to the effect that it has collected evidence that conditions in many direct provision centres are substandard to the point of inhumane. A culture of fear and the constant threat of transfer mean residents are frequently afraid to complain and are discouraged from interacting with inspectors. The Irish Refugee Council believes that some of the private businesses which operate direct provision centres are failing to fulfil their obligation to provide safe, hospitable and clean accommodation as per the RIA house rules and procedures in order to maximise their own profits. It also tells us that whole families, including both parents and children of schoolgoing age are often allocated just one room. Contrary to housing regulations, teenage children commonly share with siblings of the opposite sex. Single residents and mothers with one or two children are often required to share a bedroom and bathroom facilities. Broken, dilapidated furniture in common areas and infestations of mice, cockroaches and insects have been reported. There are also incidents of intimidation and harassment by staff at some centres. Allegations have been made of abusive and foul language directed toward residents and frequent threats of transfer. In addition, black African residents report that they are treated differently from residents who are white or of Arab origin. I note that the RIA, which came under the auspices of the Minister in 2010, reported that mobile homes in Athlone were damaged with hatchets after residents from neighbouring estates entered Lissywollen caravan site. While it was reported that the damaged property was repaired, the perimeter remained broken for some time.

Another case cited in the State sanctioned child poverty and exclusion report by the IRC stated that in early 2006 a sizeable section of a ceiling caved in on to the parents' bed and very close to their baby's cot. According to the resident they had reported the constant leak in the ceiling to the management on a number of occasions in the previous month. On many occasions I have reported my concern about the system. I am aware the Minister said he would consider reforming the system. I call on him to look at the role of profit-making companies in the system. As the system has to continue in some way perhaps the NGOs might be taken in as part of that regime. Will he consider issues such as opting into the EU reception conditions directive during the Irish Presidency?

Given that the system is privatised, which may be the nub of the problem, how many of the properties currently managed by NAMA are used as accommodation centres for asylum seekers under the direct provision system? Perhaps the Minister would itemise those properties as it is important that we get a full picture. Under the Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2010 and at the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions the Ombudsman asked that her remit be extended to cover the RIA and asylum centres, among other things, because she was aware there were a number of issues that people wanted to make known to her but she did not have a remit to look at them. There has been widespread condemnation of these centres and the way they are run.

While I appreciate that the Minister has made inroads into processing applications for asylum, I hope the process can be speeded up for the benefit of all the people in the system. I know people who have been in the system between seven and ten years. That is a terrible sentence to inflict on anybody who comes to Ireland seeking refuge. Certainly there is a need for reform in the system. I look forward to hearing the Minister's reply and appreciate the fact that he has taken the time to come to the House to take the matter.