Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

177. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to extend the remit of the Ombudsman for Children to include complaints from children in direct provision. [20321/17]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am happy to advise the Deputy that the remit of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children has already been extended to cover all those living in State provided accommodation and both Offices have been in a position to accept complaints since 3 April 2017. It should be noted that complaints in relation to the protection process itself (which is a legal process) are not within the remit of either Ombudsman.

The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) made arrangements for representatives from the Offices of both Ombudsmen to make presentations on the work of those Offices to accommodation centre staff and State service providers during the Autumn series of regional Inter-Agency meetings. Representatives from the Offices of the Ombudsmen were also (and continue to be) facilitated in holding pre-publicised information sessions with residents in centres.

The Deputy will be aware that the Direct Provision policy itself is structured through mainstream State services. That is, health services are provided directly by HSE; education is provided directly through local schools; community welfare supports are provided through the Community Welfare Services; and child welfare and associated supports are provided by local Tusla teams. Residents of RIA accommodation centres engage with these services in the same way as Irish citizens and therefore have the same rights to appeal decisions or make complaints through the relevant Departmental channels and through the relevant Ombudsmen where appropriate and necessary.