Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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138. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the infant mortality rate of children in direct provision, where, according to the Department of Justice and Equality figures, 61 persons living in direct provision have died since its establishment in 2002, of which 16 were young children, or infants, under five years of age, in other words, infants and very young children account for 25% of deaths of persons living in direct provision; his views that his Department has a responsibility to ask the reason children between the ages of zero and five years account for 25% of these deaths. [7768/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Justice and Equality has primary responsibility in the area of asylum and immigration, accordingly the direct provision system is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.

The death of any child is obviously of great concern, and most particularly so when they are in the care of the State. However, from what has been reported, I don't have sufficient information to draw any reliable conclusions about the causes of death, or mortality rates among this group. However, the Deputy can be assured that I will be discussing this with my colleagues in the Department of Health and the Department of Justice and Equality to examine the matter further.

The Department of Justice and Equality has established a working group to review a range of issues pertaining to asylum seekers and direct provision. The first meeting of the Working Group on the Protection Process was held on the 10th November 2014, chaired by Judge Bryan McMahon. The Working Group consists of children's rights advocates, organisations engaged with asylum groups and representatives from a range of relevant Government Departments, including a representative from my own Department. I look forward to learning of the findings and recommendations of the working group in the Spring of 2015.