Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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685. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department will conduct an investigation into the management of the contracts of a company (details supplied) for direct provision centres in counties Monaghan, Cavan, Meath, Louth and Dublin in the aftermath of the death of a resident in a direct provision centre in Monaghan following their placement in a self-isolation unit. [26769/20]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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699. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has considered an independent investigation into the management of the contracts of a company (details supplied) for direct provision centres in counties Monaghan, Cavan, Meath, Louth and Dublin. [26454/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Since September 2018, due to a lack of capacity within our accommodation portfolio to meet the demand for accommodation for persons seeking international protection, temporary accommodation has been provided in a number of hotels and guesthouses. Temporary accommodation was sought by way of public advertisement, and the company referred to by the Deputy responded to this request. 

It should be noted that it is on foot of public health advice that residents of our centres are requested to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19 or if they are close contacts of others who test positive.  This is to protect the health and wellbeing of other residents.  The decision to move a resident into self-isolation is not a matter for a contractor or for a centre manager.   

Where a person sadly dies while they are being provided with accommodation by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department, we work closely with the centre manager to assist the person’s next of kin, if known, in accessing the supports provided by the State, and to ensure that any residents affected by the death are assisted in accessing services that can support them.  All deaths and serious incidents that occur within accommodation centres provided by the Department are referred to the Gardaí as a matter of course and the Gardaí in turn refer all deaths to the local Coroner’s Office. 

In addition, my Department has funded an in-reach service with Monaghan Integrated Development and the Jesuit Refugee Service for residents of these emergency centres to identify issues or concerns needing to be addressed.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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686. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department will ensure that the quality of food in direct provision centres is child friendly, palatable and meets nutritional guidelines for daily nutritional intake in view of the many reports and photographic evidence of the atrocious meals provided to persons in direct provision centres nationally. [26771/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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It is a contractual obligation on all service providers of accommodation centres that a 28 day menu be provided and that residents are consulted on that menu. Menus must meet the reasonable dietary and cultural needs of the different ethnic groups accommodated at the centre and the reasonable prescribed dietary needs of any resident. Menus must include a vegetarian option and all food products provided must have a traceability system that complies with food safety requirements.

Residents may advise their accommodation centre manager of any dietary requirement that they have and this will be facilitated, where possible. Arrangements can also be made to cater for particular religious needs, for example, Muslim residents who are observing Ramadan.

More than 65% of all residents now have access to independent living and cooking facilities. The aim is to have all residents in commercial centres benefitting from independent living (cooking facilities and onsite food hall) by next year.

For those accommodation centres which have already moved to the independent living model, residents are provided with ingredients and household items at no cost and cook for themselves and their families. These centres must provide a wide range of products which are culturally appropriate and meet the dietary needs of residents.

In relation to emergency accommodation, my Department has contracted with providers for bed and full board (three meals per day) on an emergency basis due to insufficient capacity within my Department’s current accommodation portfolio. My officials are working to ensure that residents in emergency accommodation are there for as short a period as possible before being re-accommodated in dedicated accommodation centres. My officials work closely with staff and residents in emergency accommodation to address any issues that may arise.

Complaints by residents may arise from time to time in relation to dietary matters, which may be brought to the attention of the centre manager. If the resident is not satisfied with the outcome, they can make a complaint to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department, which will be investigated by my officials and action taken as appropriate. If the issue is still not resolved to the satisfaction of the resident, they can make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman or to the Ombudsman for Children, as appropriate, for their investigation.

All accommodation centres are also subject to regular unannounced inspections by staff from my Department and an independent inspector (QTS). Part of the inspection process deals directly with the provision of food services. Meals are assessed during inspection for quality, cultural appropriateness and variety of menu options. Any issues identified are notified to the contractor to be addressed immediately.

New National Standards for Accommodation Centres were published in August 2019, which will come into operation in January 2021. The Standards include commitments in relation to the provision of food, including access to a varied diet that respects cultural, religious, dietary, nutritional and medical requirements.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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687. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department will ensure there is a fair complaints procedure for persons in direct provision centres in view of the fact that they have no or very little recourse to respond to abuse of power or neglect by staff, managers or owners of direct provision centres. [26772/20]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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701. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has considered, in the context of direct provision centres, the fact that there appears to be no fair complaint procedure for the members of communities in direct provision and they have no way to respond to an abuse of power or to neglect. [26456/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 687 and 701 together.

My Department takes any complaints from residents very seriously and all residents are made fully aware of their ability to contact my Department at any time in confidence.

There are fair complaints procedures in place for residents. Where appropriate, most complaints should be brought to the centre manager in the first instance. This also applies to international protection applicants who have been provided accommodation in hotels or guest houses as a temporary measure.

If the resident is not satisfied with the outcome, he or she can make a complaint directly to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department, which will be investigated by my officials and acted on appropriately. If the matter is still not resolved to the resident's satisfaction, she or he can raise a complaint with the Offices of the Ombudsman or the Ombudsman for Children, as appropriate, for investigation by their officials.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, IPAS also held regular clinics in accommodation centres where applicants were invited to meet an IPAS officer in person and to raise any issues or concerns directly with him or her. These clinics will resume once public health officials advise that it is safe to do so. In the interim, virtual clinics have been held in some centres which enable issues to be raised. A confidential Freephone support service run by the Jesuit Refugee Service with funding from my Department has also been established as an additional support for residents during this time.

It will be a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, following the transfer of this function to his Department to make any decisions around future accommodation and service provision, including any new complaints procedure.