Written answers

Wednesday, 10 February 2021

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Direct Provision System

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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532. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the protocols and process in place in respect of the administration of vaccinations with particular reference to MMR and Hepatitis B vaccines in direct provision centres throughout the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6334/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The provision of health services to international protection applicants is mainstreamed in Ireland. Accordingly the administration of MMR and Hepatatis B vaccinations in the State is a matter for the HSE and the Department of Health as advised by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee. My Department has no role in this regard.

Photo of Seán CanneySeán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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533. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to cease the use of direct provision centres; his plans to provide independent living for persons living in such centres for a period in excess of six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6381/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to ending the Direct Provision system and replacing it with a new International Protection accommodation policy, centred on a not-for-profit approach. The Government has also committed to the development of a White Paper which will set out how this new system will be structured and the steps to achieving it.

My Department is currently developing the White Paper, which will set out options, together with the recommended direction, for the new model of accommodation and services for International Protection applicants and the transitional processes needed to implement the model. Options for developing a not-for-profit approach are currently being examined in this regard.

Good progress has been made on drafting the White Paper and work is now focusing on testing the accommodation proposals that will be contained in it. In view of the extent of change proposed, the White Paper will take some more time than originally envisaged and I now expect it will be submitted to Government later this month.

It is recognised by all involved that the replacement of the current system is complex and it will take some time. Therefore, in order to meet our legal obligations to provide accommodation and other support services for protection applicants, existing accommodation centres will continue to operate in the short to medium term while we progress to the new model. However, in doing so we will be focusing on the provision of own-door accommodation and facilities to allow for independent living (access to cooking and laundry facilities and communal family areas outside bedrooms) and working to cease our use of emergency accommodation in hotels and guest-houses.

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