Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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110. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the implementation of McMahon report recommendations 4.75 and 4.87 in view of the capacity concerns in the direct provision system and pressure on asylum seeker accommodation; the number and percentage of families residing in centres with access to their own private living space; and the number and percentage of single residents with their own room and or sharing with one, two or three or more persons, respectively. [19310/18]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Third and Final Progress Report on the Implementation of the Report of the Working Group to Report to Government on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports for Asylum Seekers, which was chaired by Dr. Bryan McMahon was published in June 2017. The Report showed that 133 of the recommendations contained in the McMahon Report were fully implemented with a further 36 recommendations in progress or partially implemented. The combined fully implemented or in progress/partially implemented recommendations make up 98% of the total recommendations contained in the McMahon Report. Both Recommendations 4.75 and 4.87 were deemed to be in progress in the Third and Final Report on the implementation of the McMahon Report.

Recommendation 4.75 was for the provision of access for families of cooking facilities (whether in a self contained unit or through use of a communal kitchen) as well as their own private living space. Currently a full independent living model (with food hall and points system) is operational in Mosney, Ballyhaunis, Clonakilty, Athlone and Millstreet which sees 1,539 residents with full autonomy in relation to the preparation of meals. A further 90 residents are accommodated in self catering units and another 1,103 residents are accommodated in centres that offer catering facilities to residents. This means a total of 2,732 residents out of a total current occupancy number of 5,327 have access to cooking facilities.

Designated family living space is provided at Mosney, Ballyhaunis, Millstreet, Watergate House and Carroll Village. There are a total of 1,211 residents at these centres. While it is not currently possible to provide statistics in relation to the number of families in these centres, it should be noted that these centres are primarily populated by families rather than single people. My Department, in conjunction with the Office of Government Procurement is in the process of holding a full open public procurement process for accommodation services to those people seeking international protection and the specifications for the relevant tenders will seek access to cooking facilities for all and the provision of designated family living space.

Recommendation 4.87 dealt with the provision of communal kitchens, in parallel with a catering option to single people as well as the provision of a mechanism to allow single people to apply for a room on their own after nine months with an offer to be made within 15 months. As outlined above, access to cooking facilities has been rolled out at a number of accommodation centres. Access to communal catering facilities is currently available in Galway City, Foynes and Tramore which are currently designated for the accommodation needs of single people. As I have stated, the roll-out of the public procurement process will require all providers of accommodation centres to provide cooking facilities to all residents.

Given the exceptional demand for accommodation places, it has not been possible to provide single rooms for single people. Currently, approximately 2.4% of bedspaces in the current accommodation portfolio are available to my Department for allocation to meet the needs of new persons in the protection process seeking accommodation.

In relation to the statistical information the Deputy is seeking, my Department does not currently collate statistics in this manner and is therefore unable to provide the information as requested.