Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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37. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans regarding the system of direct provision, including a detailed timeline; if the human rights of asylum seekers are being vindicated under the current system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17148/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Programme for Government states, "Long durations in direct provision are acknowledged to have a negative impact on family life. We are therefore committed to reforming the Direct Provision system, with particular focus on families and children."

The Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers, has implications for a number of Government Departments and services. The Direct Provision system comprises not just accommodation but a range of services including health, education and welfare supports.

The McMahon Report indicated a two-way approach towards improving the life of persons within the protection process by (i) improving the application process and thereby reducing the length of time spent by applicants in State provided accommodation and (ii) improving the quality of life of those in accommodation through improvements of services within the accommodation system itself but also the supports available through other agencies and bodies.

The 173 recommendations in the Report were taken forward by the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. To date, a total of 91 have been implemented, a further 49 recommendations have been partially implemented or are in progress, and the balance remain under consideration.

The Government is committed to reforming the Direct Provision system, with particular focus on families and children and to that end the International Protection Act 2015 responds to 26 of the Report's recommendations. The Act provides for the introduction of a single application procedure for international protection which is a key recommendation of the Report. The single procedure is specifically aimed at addressing the length of time persons spend in the protection process. The new procedure will significantly streamline and speed up the processing of protection applications and will reduce the length of time that persons spend in the Direct Provision system. Preparations for commencement of the single procedure are progressing.

The Reception and Integration Agency is working on solutions in respect of the key improvements in living conditions and catering solutions for families. Catering solutions are already in place in some centres and a pilot project will be commenced shortly at an additional centre with a view to rolling out that model across centres in the coming months.