Written answers

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Direct Provision System

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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602. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the median length of stay in direct provision and emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11856/21]

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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603. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons living in direct provision and emergency accommodation who share a bedroom with a non-family member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11857/21]

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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612. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 552 of 10 February 2021, the way many accommodation centres for persons in the international protection process are currently unable to implement the national standards for accommodation centres; the analysis his Department has carried out into the continued use of these accommodation centres as direct provision accommodation given they have been identified as unable to implement the national standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12005/21]

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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613. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 552 of 10 February 2021, his definition of independent living in the context of direct provision accommodation centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12006/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 602, 603, 612 and 613 together.

There are now 30 accommodation centres in operation that can implement the National Standards by providing independent living facilities. The International Protection Accommodation Service defines independent living as accommodation which provides self-catering facilities including a foodhall and the availability of separate living room space for families to conduct normal family life outside of a bedroom environment. Laundry facilities for the use residents must also be available.

Compliance with the National Standards can only be measured through on-site assessment and due to the level 5 COVID-19 restrictions in place since early January it has not been possible to carry out inspections in accommodation centres until very recently.

My Department is currently in discussions with HIQA to bring them on board as an independent inspectorate. In the interim, when restrictions allow, the current system of inspections by staff from my Department as well as an external company QTS Limited will continue.

As the Deputy is aware, I published the White Paper on ending Direct Provision last Friday, 26 February. Under the proposed new system for accommodation and supports for applicants for International Protection, all single people whose protection claims are still being processed will move to accommodation in the community after 4 months in a state run Reception and Integration Centre. They will be offered either own-door accommodation or own-room accommodation, meaning that they will have their own room in a shared apartment or house, with living and cooking facilities shared with other applicants. It is envisaged that the new system will be introduced on phased basis and will be fully operational by December 2024.

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