Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Inspections of IPAS accommodation is an operational matter for Tusla and as such I have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy.

Outlined below is measures in place within IPAS to ensure Centre compliance with requirements of Children First legislation and national guidance.

When an accommodation centre is opened, a designated member of the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is responsible for monitoring the centre’s adherence with requirements of Children First legislation and national guidance. This member also ensures that centre managers are categorised as Designated Liaison Persons under Children First, and notifies them that they are required to make mandatory reports of concerns relating to children resident in their centres.

The designated member also monitors the centre’s adherence with requirements of the Children First legislation and national guidance. Where centres have not submitted their Child Safeguarding Statement to the Compliance Unit, they are asked by IPAS to submit the Statement and compliance letter to IPAS when complete.

IPAS also provides specific briefings on the IPAS Child Protection Policy and Practice Guide to staff at accommodation centres. All staff in accommodation centres where children and families are accommodated are required to complete the Tusla online Children First eLearning course, and to obtain a certificate of completion for the course.

IPAS has been engaging with Tusla in respect of its report entitled ‘Child Safeguarding Statement Sector Compliance Review: International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS)’ which was developed by the Child Safeguarding Statement Compliance Unit (CSSU) in August 2023. Following significant engagement by the CSSU, all statements reviewed were deemed compliant. The report only considered statements from non-emergency settings. IPAS will continue to engage with Tusla in respect its report’s findings and recommendations and to continuously promote and improve child safeguarding practices in all accommodation settings.