Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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446. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department is aware of a matter (details supplied); the action his Department is taking to formally investigate the matter and to ensure compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40618/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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In all IPAS Accommodation centres, whether they are commercially provided or State-owned, centre management and providers are responsible for day-to-day operational arrangements on the site, including catering, health and safety, utilities and security arrangements and other requirements.

The provider must ensure that the property is of an adequate standard and that they will provide the services in accordance with good industry practice and comply with all applicable laws including but not limited to all obligations in the field of health and safety, environmental, social, child protection, and labour law that apply at the place where the services are provided.

If a property is contracted and it is later brought to the attention of the Department that a provider might be in contravention of their contractual obligations, the Department will take the appropriate steps to ensure an accommodation provider rectifies these matters in compliance with the relevant legislation.

All International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation centres are subject to inspections and compliance checks.

HIQA conducts inspections of designated accommodation centres that come under their inspections programme including the National Reception Centre at Balseskin, Co Dublin. Inspection reports by HIQA can be viewed on: www.hiqa.ie. HIQA inspect centres for compliance with the ‘National Standards for Accommodation Offered to People in the Protection Process’. After an inspection report, where any centre has areas of partial or non-compliance identified, a bespoke Compliance Plan is agreed, noting the specific and time-bound measures which will be taken in order to ensure full compliance with the National Standards.

Inspections of other IPAS centres are carried out by an independent inspections company as well as by officials of the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS). Reports of IPAS inspections are available online at: ()

Centres are inspected at intervals every year and all inspections are unannounced. The inspections examine the quality of the accommodation services, looking at food quality, fire safety, appropriate signage and information for residents, the condition of communal areas and sleeping quarters and adherence to hygiene and other health and safety measures.

These inspections also check on whether centres are fulfilling their contractual obligations regarding the provision of services and the Department is involved in regular unannounced inspections of the accommodation centres to encourage compliance.

In relation to the details supplied by the Deputy, officials in my Department have noted the concern expressed and are giving this attention.