Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons living in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31701/18]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Direct Provision system is a whole of Government approach to the provision of supports and other services to persons seeking international protection. These supports and services are delivered directly to persons in the protection process in the same manner as to other residents in Ireland by the relevant Government Department or Agency. For example education services are delivered through the Department of Education and Skills and health services are delivered by the Health Service Executive.

My Department, through the Reception & Integration Agency (RIA), is responsible for the provision of accommodation and related services to protection applicants while they await a decision on their claim for international protection. There are currently 5,442 persons residing in 34 accommodation centres located nationwide.

We have invested in improving the standard of services and facilities provided to residents in a number of key ways. 

The McMahon report was published in June of 2015. This report forms the basis for ongoing improvements across the entirety of the system involving all Government Departments and Agencies.

We are implementing a large number of these commitments within two broad themes. The first of these was by way of reforming legislation with the commencement of the International Protection Act 2015 on 31 December 2016.

A key feature of this new legislation was the introduction of a new single application procedure which will significantly accelerate the protection determination process and by extension will reduce the length of time which applicants spend in State provided accommodation.

The second major theme of improvements is in the area of the delivery of services.

Following from the McMahon report and, in particular, since the publication of the Programme for a Partnership Government, a number of recommendations in relation to physical improvements to accommodation are being rolled out. The following are some examples:

- The introduction of full independent living at the Mosney Accommodation centre - each family is now able to acquire fresh food to their liking so they may prepare meals themselves. The new home cooking arrangements in Mosney went live on 23 January 2017.

- The full independent living model was subsequently rolled out in Ballyhaunis and Clonakilty in 2017 and in Athlone and Millstreet to date in 2018. The independent living model is scheduled to commence in Bridgewater House in Carrick-On-Suir, Montague Hotel in Emo and the Birchwood Accommodation Centre in Waterford City by the end of Q3 2018.

- Communal cooking facilities are being rolled out to other centres including the State owned centres (Killarney, Tralee, Knocklisheen in Limerick and Kinsale Road in Cork) and St Patrick’s in Monaghan, Ocean View in Tramore and any other centres in which families are resident.

- A complete refurbishment consisting of triple glazed windows and doors and refurbished interiors and cooking facilities in each accommodation unit at the Athlone Accommodation Centre.

- Improvements to a number of outdoor playgrounds and football pitches to provide for ‘all-weather’ facilities.

- Teenagers rooms in centres to provide social areas for this age group.

Recommendations of the McMahon report that involve structural changes or improvements continue be implemented as quickly as possible, with due consideration of possible fire safety, building regulation and planning issues.

In addition to the foregoing the Deputy will be aware that the Government recently transposed the  EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive 2013 into Irish Law. Under the Directive, asylum seekers will have access to the labour market nine months from the date when their protection application was lodged, if they have yet to receive a first instance recommendation from the International Protection Office and if they have cooperated with the process.  This also gives effect to the recommendation in the McMahon report on this matter.

The Directive will bring the State into line with standards across the EU Member States for reception conditions for international protection applicants, including standards in accommodation centres. This continues the recent and ongoing positive work (set out above) carried out to enhance living arrangements for applicants and their families, and to further provide a wide range of supports and services to asylum seekers. Participation in the Directive is another important step in the reform of our international protection and reception systems.