Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress of the implementation of the recommendations of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers, June 2015. [26998/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Since its publication in June, 2015 the Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers, has been under proactive consideration; in the first instance by the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform and thereafter on an ongoing basis in my Department and other relevant Government Departments and Agencies. The Report contains a total of 173 recommendations, many of which have implications for a number of Government Departments and services. In the most recent review of progress in June, 91 recommendations were found to have been implemented; a further 49 recommendations were found to have been partially implemented orwerein progress; and the balance remained under consideration. This represents significant progress in taking forward the Working Group recommendations, with 80% now implemented, partially implemented or in progress. I have committed to advancing the remaining 20%, taking into account the necessary resources that some of these will require. It should also be noted that a small number of the recommendations have been superseded by Government initiatives in the interim since the publication of the Report.

A key recommendation of the Working Group was the introduction of a single application procedure in the protection process. The International Protection Act 2015 provides for such a procedure. My Department is currently preparing all of the necessary steps to commence the Act by the end of 2016. The Act responds to some 26 of the Working Group’s recommendations and can be expected to positively address the crucial issue of the length of time that applicants spend in the protection process and in the Direct Provision system; another key concern of the Working Group. The successful implementation of the International Protection Act aims that first instance decisions will issue within a 9 months timeframe and therefore the matter of right to work should no longer arise.

In addition, significant efforts have been placed on dealing with those who are longest in the system and at this stage the vast majority of those who are over 5 years in the system and who don’t have any impediments to progress, such as pending judicial challenges, have now had their cases processed to completion. This has been a key achievement that has had a real impact on many people and families in the protection process.

A transition Task Force was also established last year which put in place important supports to facilitate people with status to integrate into the community. The Task Force reported that 87% of people granted status had moved into the wider community within six months.

Tangible progress in improving the daily lives of asylum seekers living in Ireland while their application is being processed is also being made. In January last, the former Tánaiste and I announced an increase to the Direct Provision Allowance for children, the first such increase since the introduction of the payment some sixteen years ago. Prescription fees for Direct Provision residents, including children, have also been waived. I have also committed to extending the remit of the Offices of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children to include access for residents in Direct Provision centres. This requires amending legislation which will be processed as soon as possible. The Minister for Education and Skills has also announced a second year of their pilot support scheme for students in the protection system for the academic year 2016/2017.

My Department is currently engaged in a further consultation exercise with the Government Departments and Agencies responsible for the implementation of the Report's recommendations with a view to updating the position published in June.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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115. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the funding spend in each year for the past five years in respect of supporting asylum seekers. [26999/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department estimates that the overall costs for provision of services to protection applicants for the years 2010 to 2014 were as follows: €174m, €153m, €129m, €91m and €91m respectively. Precise figures in relation to 2015 have not yet been finalised although it is estimated that the cost will see an increase on the previous year for the first time in recent times. The fluctuation in costs is mainly related to the numbers of persons in the system at any given time, particularly in relation to the numbers in the direct provision system. In that regard, there was a 126% increase in asylum applications in 2015 compared to 2014.