David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has carried out its own review of the living conditions and health of asylum seekers in accommodation across Ireland since their introduction in 2000; the findings of such reviews; if his Department is satisfied with the living conditions and health of asylum seekers in accommodation centres; when his Department intends to carry out the next review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16167/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Since direct provision was introduced, the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, has provided accommodation for more than 38,000 asylum seekers. The RIA currently operates four main reception centres, with capacity for 731 persons, in the Dublin area and 67 direct provision accommodation centres in 25 counties with capacity for 6,589 persons. In addition, the RIA operates 12 self-catering centres with a capacity for 950, to cater for asylum seekers who because of exceptional medical or social circumstances cannot have their needs met in direct provision or who have spent more than two years in direct provision.

In all accommodation centres that house asylum seekers, contractors are obliged, on foot of a memorandum of agreement with the RIA, to ensure that their premises comply with and operate in accordance with all relevant statutory requirements of local authorities in regard to planning, building, by-laws, bedroom capacity, food, food hygiene, water supply, sewage disposal, fire precautions and general safety, including: European Communities (Hygiene of Foodstuffs) Regulations 2000; European Communities (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations 1998; Fire Services Act 1981; Food Hygiene Regulations 1950-1989; Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 1989; Housing Acts 1966 to 2002; Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2002; Drinking Water Regulations 1988; Employment Permit Act 2003; Tourist Traffic Acts 1939-1995, any statutory modification or re-enactment of same; and any other relevant Act or regulations as may be notified by the Minister to the proprietor or contractor.

The memorandum of agreement places other obligations on the contractor in relation to reception, management and staff issues, menus and food for infants and school-going children, maintenance of the property and fire and safety standards.

In circumstances where asylum seeker parents and their children are accommodated in centres operating under the aegis of the RIA, particular emphasis is placed on meeting their needs. It is the policy of the RIA that cots are provided in each reception and accommodation centre where infants are accommodated and that toilet and bathroom facilities are provided in accordance with relevant statutory requirements. In this regard, the memoranda of agreement stipulate that, at a minimum, in addition to cots, the following should be available: infant formula; infant food; access to fresh water — for the preparation of infant formula; sterilizers — sufficient for the number of infant children; kettles — for boiling water; fridges — for infant formula bottles; and microwave-bottle warmers.

The RIA has secured the secondment of a director of child and family services from the Health Service Executive to examine, inter alia, the current services provided to families and children and to make recommendations as to how they can be further developed in keeping with the requirements of the national children's strategy and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The director of child and family services will also work with appropriate health agencies in developing strategies to further develop the nutritional standards in respect of food provided to infants and children in centres operated by RIA and in developing support mechanisms for aged out unaccompanied minors after transition into direct provision. In addition, she will liaise with schools and other service providers so as to ensure that their needs are met to the greatest extent possible.

It is the policy of the RIA to conduct regular comprehensive inspections of properties used to house asylum seekers. These inspections are carried out internally by RIA staff and externally by an independent company who have stated experience in hazard and critical control point, HACCP, analysis and fire safety. In addition, all premises are subject to inspection by the local environmental health officer and fire officer. Any breach of standards is viewed very seriously by the RIA and major breaches have led in the past to the closure of centres.

Asylum seekers have access to health services on the same basis as the indigenous population and the provision of health services is a matter, in the first instance, for the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive.

Health screening continues to be available in Dublin reception centres to all asylum seekers on a voluntary and strictly confidential basis. They are advised of this immediately on arrival. Screening covers hepatitis, TB, HIV, immunisation status and any other ailments or conditions which the medical officers feel need further investigation and-or treatment. All asylum seeker women attending maternity hospitals throughout Ireland are screened as part of their ante-natal care.

In addition, the psychology department, based at St. Brendan's Hospital, Dublin and funded by the HSE northern region, provides an outreach service at each of the centres within the catchment area of what was previously the Eastern Regional Health Authority area.

GP services are also provided on site at the Dublin reception centres which facilitates the referral onward of persons who may require specialist services, for example, psychiatric services.

An ante-natal outreach clinic, funded by the HSE northern region with staff provided from the Rotunda Hospital, began operating in Balseskin reception centre in November 2002. The outreach clinic submitted an application for the Derek Dockery Award, which was instituted in 2003 in memory of the contribution to the health services of the late Derek Dockery who worked in the health service. Thirty nine applications were received from across the HSE, previously ERHA region, under four categories — community based initiatives, health facilities based initiatives, equality promoting initiatives and initiatives in management. The outreach clinic won both the award in the category "General Innovations in the Community to Promote Principles of the Health Strategy" and also the overall award.

Arising from discussions held by a multi-agency group, established by the Northern Area Health Board, now the HSE, which included representatives from Spiritan Asylum Seeker Initiative, SPIRASI, a non-governmental organisation, and the RIA, one of the principal needs identified was the lack of accurate and comprehensive information on health services for newly arrived asylum seekers.

A steering committee, comprising the stakeholders listed, was formed to oversee the establishment and management of a peer-led health information programme located at SPIRASI. It was felt the programme would be most effective if delivered by suitably qualified personnel who, ideally, had first hand experience of the asylum and refugee process.

The programme is available to all newly arrived asylum seekers in Dublin. It provides them with a detailed description of the health services in Ireland, the availability of services and how they may be accessed. This programme covers such diverse areas as maternity, GP, health screening, mental health and community welfare services.

The programme was entered into competition for an Irish Healthcare Pharmaceutical Award in 2004 which recognises innovation and excellence in Irish health care, emphasising the partnership between health care professionals and the pharmaceutical industry. The project received a commendation under the "Best Patient or Public Education Project (Non-Pharmaceutical)" category.

In addition to working with specific cases, the agency also works closely with health service providers and non-governmental organisations to promote awareness of health service needs of asylum seekers. In this regard, the RIA commissioned a report in 2004 on the use of interpreter services in a health service context. A copy of the report was sent to the Department of Health and Children and I understand that, on foot of the report, additional funding for interpreter services was made available this year to the HSE.

The RIA has also worked closely with the HSE and the Department of Health and Children in developing infant feeding guidelines for asylum seeker infants in direct provision. These guidelines are due to be launched later this year.

A one day seminar was hosted by RIA in January 2005 entitled "Mental Health Services for Asylum Seekers and Refugees". The seminar was attended by service providers, NGO representatives together with RIA and Department of Health and Children representatives. A report on the proceedings of the day is due to be circulated shortly to all attendees and a copy will be forwarded to the Department of Health and Children and the HSE for consideration as part of the overall review of mental health services currently under way.

As part of an initiative led by the Department of Health and Children, the RIA was represented earlier this year at a seminar on health impact assessment. This assessment programme recognises the impact on health of policies and programmes in areas other than the health sector. Further work will be done within my Department and its agencies in the coming months in consultation with the Department of Health and Children and the Institute of Public Health to develop specific health impact assessment programmes in each area.

Over the past four years, the RIA has facilitated the development, throughout the country, of an extensive network of support groups for asylum seekers in direct provision. These voluntary groups are involved in a range of activities to befriend asylum seekers, to assist them to settle into local communities and to promote intercultural activities between the asylum seekers and the local community. Partial funding for projects carried out by these groups is available from a small grants scheme. A total of €170,000 was made available under this scheme in 2004, benefiting more than 60 projects. A total of €140,000 was made available under this scheme in 2003, benefiting more than 60 projects. Grants for 2005 are currently being processed.

I am satisfied that the system of direct provision and dispersal operated by the State is a fair and humane way of meeting the accommodation and ancillary needs of asylum seekers. It is at least on a par with best practice in other EU states and the Government has no plans at this point in time to the change the system.