Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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86. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress made to date on the implementation of the White Paper to End Direct Provision and replace it with a new international protection support service; the expected timeline of implementation going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36290/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As stated in the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to ending the system of Direct Provision and has pledged to replace it with a new International Protection Support Service (IPSS), which will be centred on a not-for profit approach. As part of this process, I published A White Paper to end Direct Provision and to Establish a new International Protection Support Serviceon 26 February 2021. This White Paper outlines the proposed system of accommodation and supports that will be offered to applicants for International Protection and is the result of an extensive consultation process with Civil Society Organisations, residents of Direct Provision centres, and other Government Departments and Bodies. IPSS will ensure that protection applicants are helped to integrate into Ireland from day one, with health, housing, education, and employment supports at the core of the new system. As stated in the White Paper, it is the Government’s intention to have this new system fully operational by December 2024.

The implementation of the White Paper is in the early stages, with a first draft of a detailed implementation plan currently being drawn up. An Implementation Team is currently being assembled and engagement and discussions have begun with certain implementation partners. Much of the progress to date has focused on development of the new accommodation model, and discussions have been held with the Housing Agency on available funding schemes for accommodation in the community and the role that Approved Housing Bodies will play. In addition, the County and City Managers’ Association (CCMA) are developing an allocation key on behalf of the Local Authorities, in co-operation with my Department. The allocation key will serve as a guide as to how many applicants for International Protection are to be accommodated in each Local Authority area, and a draft of this key is to be discussed during an upcoming meeting of the CCMA.

Work is also underway to establish both a Programme Board and an external Advisory Group, which will form the governance structure for the project as outlined in the White Paper. The membership of the Programme Board will comprise representatives of relevant Departments, Agencies and NGOs. At least one former resident of the Direct Provision system will be represented on the Board, which will also include experts in areas such as housing and change management who will support the delivery of these key areas. The external Advisory Group will consist of three independent experts who will help to monitor the implementation of the IPSS model and provide independent feedback to Government. I will be announcing details of the individual members of both entities in the coming weeks, and it is envisaged that a first meeting of the Programme Board will take place shortly.