Written answers

Thursday, 3 December 2020

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Direct Provision System

Photo of Steven MatthewsSteven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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116. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the guidelines with regard to in-person inspections in direct provision centres at every level of restriction under the Covid-19 framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39702/20]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In response to Covid-19, many measures have been put in place by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) in conjunction with the HSE. These measures were first implemented from the time that country-wide restrictions were imposed in March and April this year and they continue to be implemented and added to for all our accommodation centres.

Recently, my officials in IPAS prepared a new IPAS living with COVID plan, which aligns IPAS COVID-19 arrangements with the Government’s Framework Plan for Living with COVID 2020-2021.

Under levels 1 to 3 of this plan all IPAS outreach services are operational as normal, including inspections. Under levels 4 and 5, IPAS inspections and centre visits are limited to cases of urgent operational need. In addition IPAS holds only virtual clinics at levels 4 and 5.

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