Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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691. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider the relocation of a person (details supplied) to a Dublin centre given that they have secured employment in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22179/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department are currently not in a position to transfer residents between accommodation centres on request. All non-essential transfers are suspended due to the ongoing Covid-19 emergency and based on Public Health advice. Once Public Health advises that such restrictions can be lifted, residents will be informed and can then apply for transfers to other locations.

The International Protection applicant referred to by the Deputy was considered to be in suitable accommodation for their circumstances at the time that they were assigned the accommodation space. Unfortunately, it is also the case that there is no accommodation space available in their preferred location at this time. As the Deputy will appreciate, there is significant demand for any available spaces within the greater Dublin region but such spaces are limited because of the cost of such accommodation and because contractors have not offered accommodation to IPAS for use for accommodating applicants for International Protection.

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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692. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the direct provision centre in Meelick, County Clare and the self-isolation protocol used there; the reason persons are required to self-isolate on site and are not brought to an off-site facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21118/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is guided by the HSE and Public Health in all measures we are taking to safeguard residents availing of our International Protection accommodation services.  In this context the  International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) has been working closely with the HSE National Social Inclusion team and key regional Public Health officials since the beginning of the pandemic to develop protocols to manage the impact of the pandemic on IPAS centres and their residents.

The current advice from the HSE and Public Health officials remains that, during the COVID crisis, residents who may be symptomatic, identified as COVID positive or identified as a close contact, should isolate in a place and manner recommended by the local Public Health officer dealing with the area. 

Specifically, where a resident is identified as requiring isolation, Public Health officials, in conjunction with the regional HSE Social Inclusion office will advise IPAS on the appropriate course of action in each case.  This may include a direction that residents should either be transferred to an offsite isolation facility, or where deemed appropriate by Public Health, should be allowed to isolate onsite at their designated centre.  IPAS provides facilities for self-isolation both on and off-site as required to meet any isolation needs identified by our HSE/Public Health colleagues.

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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693. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the communal facilities in direct provision centres; if communal activities such as meal times are being staggered in the interest of health and safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21119/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Communal facilities in accommodation centres provided by my Department vary from centre to centre but include reception areas, dining areas, play rooms for children, communal family rooms, study areas, laundry facilities and cooking facilities.

My Department communicates directly with centre managers and residents via regular newsletters, which can be found on our website -  www.accommodationcentres.ie.

The newsletters have provided practical information on implementing social and physical distancing at this time and promoted shared learning and best practice across our network of centres. Residents have also been made aware of the need for good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette. Information and posters have been distributed to all centres and translations of public health information have also been provided.

All centres are following the guidelines that were published by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). These are publicly available at its website www.hpsc.ie. That guidance exists precisely because it is recognised that congregated settings such as our accommodation centres present specific challenges in this pandemic. My Department is working closely with the HSE and public health authorities in ensuring that guidance and measures in place at all centres are sufficient in light of changing conditions.

Centre managers have been asked to increase the standard and frequency of cleaning throughout the centres paying particular attention to communal areas. A regular supply of hand sanitiser for centres is in place and this is distributed to centres for the use of residents and staff as required. Other PPE such as masks, gloves, visors and aprons are distributed as needed and in line with the HPSC guidelines for its appropriate use in residential settings.

In addition an IPAS Living with COVID Plan was developed and clearly explains how each of the five levels of restrictions in Resilience and  Recovery 2020-2021 affects residents and visitors to centres.

All centres have put arrangements in place to support social and physical distancing when using laundry rooms, communal kitchens, dining rooms, foodhalls and other communal areas.  Such arrangements may include limits on the number of people using the facilities at one time, rota systems and food collection for dining in own rooms.  Residents are advised of the specific measures in each centre and appropriate signage is put in place too.