Jackie Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the parents of the children attending a school (details supplied) in County Kerry for their children's safety with the proposal to house 80 all male refugees in Linden House, Killarney which is across the road from this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37112/05]

Jackie Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is proposed to house 80 all male refugees in Linden House, Killarney, County Kerry which is across the road from a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37113/05]

Jackie Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps he intends to take to ensure that the proposed 80 all male refugees proposed to be housed in Linden House, Killarney, County Kerry are investigated before they are housed there (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37110/05]

Jackie Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the refugee families staying in Linden House, Killarney, County Kerry are to be moved to make room available for 80 all male refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37111/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 232, 233, 249 and 250 together.

The reception and integration agency, RIA, is charged with providing accommodation to asylum seekers under the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Decisions regarding the opening, reclassification or closing of centres are made in the context of the overall demand for accommodation and the need to achieve value for money in the context of managing a large portfolio.

Such management requires responses to changing numbers of asylum seekers in RIA centres and the Deputy will be aware that a considerable number of asylum seekers have left accommodation having been granted leave to remain in the State on the basis of having an Irish born child. The RIA is, therefore, engaged in a major review of its accommodation needs. As well as seeing value for money in this review, it is incumbent on the RIA to optimise overall service provision, make the best use of its accommodation resources and provide accommodation in a sensitive, balanced and proportionate way.

In this overall context, the RIA decided to move families from the accommodation centre at Linden House, Killarney to centres which are more suitable for accommodating families with young children. The families were moved to centres at Millstreet accommodation centre, County Cork and Johnston Marina accommodation centre, Tralee, County Kerry. Both of these centres have excellent links with local support services, such as public health nurses, VECs and so on. In addition, Millstreet accommodation centre has a dedicated pre-school service for children, while the two pre-school children who moved to Tralee attend the local, community-based pre-school service. Both centres have ample outdoor space for children to play in.

Despite the need for rationalising the accommodation portfolio, the RIA is cognisant of the disruption that can be caused to school-going children when a family is moved to another centre. In this specific case, the RIA was aware that a small number of children were attending the nearby school and every effort was made to relocate school-going children in alternative centres where they could access schools nearby, thus providing the least disruption to the children's schooling. I might add that Linden House is on a main road and has no outdoor play facilities and is thus more suitable for a single male population.

I can assure the Deputy that every step will be taken to ensure that there are no issues arising from the proximity of the centre to the local school. The centre will be monitored on a regular basis by the inspections unit of the RIA and an independent inspectorate in accordance with standard RIA practice. I should add that the male asylum seekers moving to the centre are accustomed to adhering to the house rules and procedures imposed by centres, having been accommodated at the Shannonside accommodation centre in Limerick city for some time before its closure.

The RIA has contractual on-site management and security at centres on a 24-hour basis and has also recently introduced a child protection policy at accommodation centres. The manager at Linden House has undergone the Health Service Executive's "Keeping Safe" training and plans are in train to extend this training to all remaining staff at centres throughout the State.

The RIA will continue to liaise with management and staff at the centre, local support groups, local gardaí and other service providers to ensure that the centre is operated in accordance with the standards expected by the agency. The RIA currently operates 18 other accommodation centres for single males, some of which are located close to schools, at locations in counties Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick, Longford, Waterford and Wicklow. These centres have been operating successfully for up to six years.

The RIA is very much aware of the disruption caused by the inevitable movements brought about by the need to manage the accommodation portfolio. It is also aware of the enormous efforts made by teachers, support groups and the local community in supporting asylum seekers. Movements are, however, sometimes necessary and a balance is needed to minimise disruption on the one hand but to optimise overall service provision and get value for money on the other. The RIA will show as much flexibility and sensitivity as possible in securing this balance.