Vol. 560 No. 5
46 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of former or current asylum seekers who are living in the reception and integration agency step-down centres; the number of these individuals who are living in each centre; and the percentage of these who are male or female and adults or children. [3001/03]
Step-down centres provide transitional self-catering facilities to help persons moving from direct provision to independent living. The persons involved are those who have either been recognised as refugees or who had applied prior to the recent Supreme Court judgment for leave to remain in the State on the basis of an Irish born child. To date, a total of 449 persons have benefited from these facilities. The following table provides a breakdown of the 23 persons currently residing in the centres.
|
Stepdown centre |
Current Nos. |
No. of Adults |
No. of Children |
|
Atlas House, Tralee – opened 07/01/02 |
13 persons |
62 male4 female |
73 male4 female |
|
% adult/child |
46% |
54% |
|
|
% male/female |
38% male62% female |
43% male57% female |
|
|
St. Lawrence's, Drogheda – opened 01/05/02 |
10 persons |
84 male4 female |
22 female |
|
% adult/child |
80% |
20% |
|
|
% male/female |
50% male50% female |
100% female |
|
|
* Ursuline Convent,Waterford – opened 01/02/02 |
— |
— |
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