Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the person who is responsible for inspecting hostels (details supplied) to ensure conditions are satisfactory and quality of the food is also satisfactory; the number of these inspections that are carried out; if the hostels are advised of the date of inspection beforehand; and if the inspection team sees the preparation of the meals. [18797/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department has responsibility for the accommodation of asylum seekers under the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. As of 2 May, 2010, there are 6,337 persons residing in 50 centres located throughout the State under contract to RIA.

RIA engages independent external assessors, with expertise in areas such as fire safety and food preparation, to conduct comprehensive inspections of all centres at least once a year. These inspections are always unannounced. The inspectors look at all aspects of the accommodation centre in relation to the proprietor's obligations under the contract. Reception, staff cover, menus, food preparation, facilities being provided, maintenance of the property and fire and safety issues are subject to inspection.

Further to the above, RIA has an internal Inspections Unit which also conducts inspections which, resources allowing, are carried out on a twice yearly basis. These inspections are also unannounced. While inspectors (both internal and external) do not oversee the preparation of meals, they are obliged to sample either the mid-day or evening meal. External inspectors inspect the food preparation areas and report their observations in relation to hygiene and good practice to RIA. Aside from the formal inspection regime outlined above, all centres are subject to other unannounced visits by RIA staff, including senior management, to ensure that standards are being maintained. The maintenance of standards is also facilitated by 'clinics' carried out in centres. This involves staff from RIA holding meetings with residents in centres on a one-to-one basis. These afford residents an opportunity to comment on accommodation and operating standards as well as facilitating discussion on other issues.

Any diminution in standards which comes to the attention of the RIA is immediately followed up. Proprietors are instructed to make any changes and improvements deemed necessary. Follow-up inspections are also arranged as appropriate. In cases where standards stipulated in the contract have not been met and the proprietor has not made sufficient efforts to remedy the situation, the contract may be terminated.

A number of asylum seeker accommodation centres have received the Excellence Ireland Quality Association mark, or equivalent. Although RIA welcomes the recognition of standards shown by the EIQA award, and notwithstanding the stringency of its own contractual requirements, it does not oblige operators to obtain it. The following table outlines the level of inspections and information clinics carried out on RIA centres over the past 3 years. The ratio between internal and external inspections during this period was 57% : 43% respectively.

In respect of the two centres specified by the Deputy in her question, inspections were carried out as per the following table.