Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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610. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the Health Information and Quality Authority report on the provision of child welfare services for children in direct provision centres; the steps he will take following the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21443/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) carried out an inspection of Tusla’s management of child protection and welfare referrals for children living in direct provision. The direct provision system comes under the aegis of the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), as part of the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality.

HIQA reviewed all referrals to Tusla relating to children living in direct provision over a 12 month period. Additionally, HIQA visited four Tusla administrative service areas to review files and meet managers and social workers. The report stated that direct provision centres were present in 14 out of 17 administrative service areas. The report concluded that the quality of service being provided was mixed, with evidence of good service delivery in the majority of areas and some poor practice in the remaining areas. The report noted that good support and social work practices by Tusla staff were evident.

Tusla has accepted the recommendations from the report and is currently finalising an action plan to address comprehensively the issues raised. My Department, Tusla and RIA are committed to working together to improve child protection and welfare services for children in direct provision.

My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, is taking steps to address issues relating to the asylum seeking process by introducing a single procedure to manage applications for protection in the International Protection Bill. Further, my Department is represented on the Working Group on the Protection Process, set up by the Minister for Justice and Equality. This Group has a particular focus on direct provision and is independently chaired by former High Court Judge Bryan McMahon. My Department has taken an active interest in the work of the Group, and has contributed developmental papers as well as commenting on child welfare and protection issues during their deliberations. The Working Group report is expected in the near future.