Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures that are taken by the Reception and Integration Agency to ensure that staff in accommodation centres for asylum seekers are Garda vetted and trained to work with children and vulnerable adults in view of the fact that this is not included on the standard form employed by the contracted inspectors (details supplied). [7814/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This question concerns two issues. Firstly, it concerns the welfare and protection of children and vulnerable adults living in direct provision asylum seeker accommodation centres under contract to the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department. Secondly, it concerns the remit of the independent inspections by a Galway based firm, QTS Limited contracted by RIA to carry out inspections in the 35 such centres currently contracted to it throughout the State.

On the latter issue, inspections are carried out not just by QTS Ltd. but also, separately, by RIA staff. These inspections are always unannounced and the inspectors look at all aspects of the accommodation centres in relation to the proprietors' obligations under the contract. The inspections cover such areas as reception, staff cover, menus, food safety and hygiene, facilities being provided, maintenance of the property and fire and safety issues. As explained below, these inspections do not check whether staff have been Garda vetted or have been trained in relation to the welfare and protection of children and vulnerable adults. These matters are indeed of critical importance to RIA but they fall to be dealt with outside that inspection process.

RIA takes the issue of Garda vetting and child protection very seriously. There is a specific unit in RIA called the Child and Family Services Unit, which is fully staffed and whose role is to manage, deliver, coordinate, monitor and plan all matters relating to child and family services for all asylum seekers residing in the direct provision system. It also acts as a conduit between RIA and the HSE, the latter having statutory functions in this area. The Unit is headed up by an official seconded from the HSE who has clinical expertise in the area of child welfare and protection.

Since 2009 Garda Vetting is carried out on all staff of centres under contract to RIA. The procedure to effect this vetting, and why it is not possible to have QTS Ltd. check this on its inspection process, is explained below.

All asylum accommodation centres are operated by private companies under contract to RIA. The responsibility for the employment of staff lies with the private contractor concerned; that is to say, no staff in centres are employed directly by RIA. The second point is that a distinction needs to be drawn between "vetting" and "clearing". "Vetting" is the process by which the Garda Síochána conducts an examination of an individual's record in relation to court convictions and pending prosecutions and, with the person's permission, conveys this information to an authorised person. "Clearing" is the process by which an employer and/or a responsible authority makes a decision, based on the result of the Garda vetting process, as to whether to employ, or continue to employ (possibly with restrictions), the individual concerned.

It was agreed with the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) based in Thurles, Co. Tipperary that RIA alone would act as the central conduit for all communications between GCVU and RIA accommodation centres. All RIA contractors and their designated contact person in relation to Garda vetting have been vetted and cleared by RIA itself. In respect of all other staff in centres, although the vetting process is conducted through RIA, the 'clearing' of employees is a matter for the contractors who, after all, are the employers. It should be noted that, aside from those relating to contractors and designated persons, RIA does not retain any records on centre employees in relation to Garda Vetting. The sole records kept on RIA's confidential database relate to the employee's name, when the relevant vetting forms were received in RIA, sent to GCVU, returned by GCVU and submitted to the relevant designated contact person. As this is an ongoing process, contractors have the responsibility of informing RIA of new members of their staff, who need to undergo the Garda Vetting Process. Because RIA itself acts as the conduit for Garda vetting of staff in centres, the issue of having the matter dealt with in the inspection process does not arise.

In relation to training of staff in centres, the HSE has provided 'Keeping Safe' child protection training to each centre's designated officers and other staff members. RIA's Child Protection Policy is based on the HSE's “Children First - National Guidelines for the protection and welfare of children”.