Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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440. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if HIQA inspections will apply to all providers of accommodation to IPAS; and the details of any exceptions. [35470/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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It is the Government’s intention that the accommodation centres operated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), which is part of my Department, will be independently monitored by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for compliance with the National Standards for accommodation offered to people in the protection process. These Standards were adopted by Government in 2019, and came into effect in January 2021.

HIQA's role will apply to all of IPAS's permanent centres.  It will not apply to emergency centres as they are subject to separate contractual arrangements.

In advance of the introduction of independent monitoring, IPAS has taken steps to support adherence to the National Standards through its contract arrangements with accommodation centres. All properties selected under IPAS’ most recent tender process are required to be able to implement the National Standards.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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441. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when legislation enabling HIQA inspections of IPAS-contracted properties will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. [35471/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is currently working with the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) to implement the commitment for HIQA to monitor International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres against National Standards adopted in 2019 and in effect since the beginning of 2021. 

Planning is well advanced on this process.  My Department is currently engaging with HIQA on resources and staffing required by HIQA to undertake its monitoring role. In parallel with this process, detailed work is being undertaken by my Department, in consultation with Office of the Attorney General, to provide the necessary legal basis for HIQA's monitoring role.  The aim is that this will be done by means of regulation and that it would be published in the next Dail session.  

HIQA is progressing with preparations for commencement of this function. Part of the preparations include the development of the monitoring and inspection methodology. An Expert Advisory Group (EAG) has been established to inform this process and provide expert advice and feedback. This group comprises members from a range of different stakeholder organisations, service providers and service use, including the Head of IPAS and the Head of International Protection Accommodation Policy in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The first meeting of the EAG was 25 May 2022 and the second meeting was 29 June 2022.

IPAS accommodation centres are currently subject to regular unannounced inspections both by my officials in the International Protection Accommodation Service and by an independent inspectorate company (QTS Limited).