Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding conditions in a reception an integration agency hostel. [16391/13]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he has taken in relation to the complaints made to him regarding conditions at a location (details supplied) in Dublin 1; if there are unannounced inspections at centres of Direct Provision; the extent of individual audits at each centre on income and expenditure to ensure the Exchequer funding is being spent as it should; his views on whether there is an adequate, impartial and fair appeals system for residents; and if he is satisfied that proper management procedures are in place at each centre. [17145/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 889 and 934 together.

The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) is a functional unit of the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department. RIA is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their application for protection is being processed. These questions refer to an anonymous letter of complaint dated 26 March, 2013 signed simply "residents", in respect of a Dublin asylum accommodation centre under contract to RIA. The letter related to issues such as food provision and the management style in the centre. RIA received a copy of this correspondence, which appears to have been also copied to members of the Oireachtas, from the contractor concerned on 2 April, 2013. Coincidently, RIA had a meeting scheduled with the contractor for 3 April on other matters and the opportunity was taken raise the letter for discussion. As the correspondence is unsigned, the option for RIA to speak with any specific resident or group of residents does not arise.

Notwithstanding the anonymity of the complaint, RIA held an 'Information Clinic' at the centre on Monday 8 April, 2013 in order to ascertain whether the issues raised in the letter had substance. These clinics provide residents of a centre with an opportunity to speak with RIA staff on a one-to-one basis, without any centre staff or other parties present. Despite advance notice of the clinic being posted up in the centre since 3 April, only two residents presented to RIA staff. A further unsigned item of correspondence dated 4 April, 2013, again similarly signed "residents", was received by RIA on 11 April, 2013. This document sets out a number of specific issues which the contractor is being asked to address.

These documents make very specific demands and are being examined in detail by both RIA and by the centre contractor who will shortly organise a general meeting with residents. It should be said that some of the demands made, such as seeking the right to have non-residents stay overnight in the centre or having residents decide who the management of the centre shall be, cannot be entertained by RIA.

It's worth making the general point that a core aim of RIA is ensuring the maintenance and improvement of standards in centres under contract to it. Any diminution in standards which comes its attention is treated very seriously by RIA, and proprietors are immediately required to make any changes and improvements deemed necessary. In this instance, RIA will ensure that any matters arising on foot of its investigations will be addressed without delay.

In relation to standards of service, all accommodation providers and other companies engaged by RIA to operate centres are required under a comprehensive Memorandum of Agreement (generically approved by the Office of the Attorney General) to ensure that the centres comply and operate in accordance with all statutory requirements of local authorities and other agencies in relation to bedroom capacity, food, food hygiene, water supply, fire safety, general safety and so forth. The contract also sets out staffing, security and management levels required for each centre.

RIA regularly conducts unannounced comprehensive full day and other informal inspections on each of the centres to ensure that the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement are being met. In addition, the RIA has for the past number of years engaged independent assessors with expertise in the field to conduct inspections on its behalf. All centres are also open to inspection by Environmental Health Officers.

It is the policy of the RIA to conduct at least twice yearly comprehensive inspections on each of the properties used to accommodate asylum seekers. The independent assessor contracted by the RIA also conducts comprehensive inspections on every centre at least once per year. These are not financial audits. RIA has a straightforward commercial contract for the provision of services to asylum seekers. On the financial side, the contracts are based on a negotiated per person, per day rate for a contracted number of residents over a specified period. The issue of RIA conducting a financial audit of the income and expenditure of a commercial provider under contract to it does not arise. For RIA, the inspection process is to ensure that the services it has contracted for are being properly provided; in other words, RIA needs to make sure it is getting what it is paying for.

Inspections are always unannounced and the inspection team look at all aspects of the accommodation centre in relation to the proprietors obligations under the Memorandum of Agreement which covers such areas as reception, management and staff cover, menus and facilities being provided, maintenance of the property and fire and safety issues. As already indicated, information clinics where residents can raise issues on a one-to-one basis with RIA staff are undertaken regularly. There are 3 such clinics held per centre per year at a minimum. Moreover, 'bed-audits' are conducted at a selection of centres each year whereby a full detailed snapshot of service provision is taken to ensure that House Rules, contractual obligations, health and safety and other requirements have been addressed. In relation to complaints and associated appeals by residents in respect of the services provided at their centre, the mechanisms for dealing with such complaints are clearly set out in the House Rules & Procedures document given at all residents in RIA accommodation. This document is available in 12 languages (including English) and can be found on the RIA website www.ria.gov.ie.