Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will introduce guidelines to compel his Department to operate the direct provision and dispersal system in a fair and transparent way; if he will allow residents within this system a voice in decisions made about them in an objective and fair hearing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13855/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I do not accept the premise of the question that the direct provision system does not operate in a fair and transparent way. I believe that it does.

In order to meet its international obligations in the area of asylum, the Government has allocated significant resources over the years to our asylum determination structures, to reception arrangements and to the provision of services to asylum seekers. Ireland is not unique in this respect. All countries which take their responsibilities in this area seriously are faced with similar calls on their financial resources. The direct provision and dispersal policy is a key element of the State's immigration and asylum control system.

Direct provision is unique but, as a result of it, no asylum seeker has ever been left homeless. Asylum seekers receive nourishment on a par with, and in some cases superior to, that available to the general population. Asylum seekers receive a health service on the same basis as Irish citizens and it is, in many cases, far superior to what is available in their countries of origin. Children of asylum seekers are provided with primary and secondary education in the local community on the same basis as the children of Irish citizens.

The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers and has provided over 50,000 accommodation placements since the establishment of direct provision in 1999. RIA fulfils its mandate by allocating accommodation to those asylum seekers who require it having regard to family profile, access to school places, health, social and community services and accommodation availability. Currently, RIA is providing accommodation for almost 5,300 persons in 38 centres throughout the State.

It is open to residents to query any decision made about them by RIA. A key decision made by RIA is where a person will be accommodated but it is open to residents to request a transfer to an alternative location. Each request is viewed on its own merits. Where transfers are requested for medical reasons, RIA has access to an independent medical referee who will make a recommendation on whether or not the transfer is necessary to deal with the person's particular medical requirements.

The revised RIA House Rules and Procedures set out the entitlements and obligations placed on centre management and on residents and, in the event that these aren't being met, a complaints procedures to be invoked by either party. The Rules also set out in detail how a resident can go about requesting a transfer as well as the types and standard of service that an asylum seeker should receive while residing in direct provision.

These House Rules have been translated into twelve languages and are provided to all asylum seekers on arrival at their accommodation centre. This document and all translated versions are published on-line on the RIA website.

The rights of residents are also safeguarded though other means. RIA staff regularly hold 'clinics' in centres where residents can raise issues about management and service provision. Local support groups, other NGOs, non-RIA State providers, health professionals and so all have access to residents and issues of concern can be raised in that context too.