Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 6

Written Answers. - Asylum Support Services.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

65 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the addresses of all accommodation provided by the State to asylum seekers; the number of asylum seekers accommodated at each address; the actual or estimated cost to the State of such accommodation in each case; the locations where food is supplied together with accommodation; the arrangements in place to ensure the food is of proper standard; the minimum facilities specified by his Department for such accommodation; and the services provided for asylum seekers with special needs arising from ill treatment in their State of origin in each case. [15097/01]

Alan Shatter

Question:

196 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the address of all of the accommodation provided by the State to asylum seekers; the number of asylum seekers accommodated at each address; the actual or esti mated cost to the State of such accommodation in each case; the locations where food is supplied together with accommodation; the arrangements in place to ensure the food is of proper standard; the minimum facilities specified by his Department for such accommodation; and the services specifically provided for asylum seekers with special needs arising from ill treatment in their State of origin in each case. [15140/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 196 together.

The information sought by the Deputy in respect of the centres currently in use by the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of my Department to accommodate asylum seekers is set out in the following table which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.

Table

Address of Accommodation Centre	Current Occupancy Level
Milverton House, Montgomery Street, Carlow	36
The Clare Hostel, Summerhill, Ennis, Co. Clare	71
Corofin Holiday Hostel, Corofin, Co. Clare	19
Scariff Court Hotel, Main Street, Scariff, Co. Clare	39
North Quay Place, Cork City	240
Golflinks Hotel, Glengariff, Co. Cork	55
Ashbourne House Hotel, Glounthaune, Co. Cork	103
Lakeside House, Millstreet, Co. Cork	53
2 The Mall, Youghal, Co. Cork	10
Cork Airport Hotel, Kinsale Road, Cork	70
Clonakilty Lodge, Clonakilty, Co. Cork	73
Homefield House, Bundoran, Co. Donegal	28
Cliffview, Donegal Town, Co. Donegal	68
Moville Holiday Hostel, Main Street, Moville, Co. Donegal	19
The Brookvale Hotel, Bunbeg, Co. Donegal	21
Carrickboy House, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal	9
59 Jamestown Road, Dublin	13
New Light House, St. Margaret's, Co. Dublin	16
Oaklands Hotel, Glenamaddy, Co. Galway	25
Atlantic View Guesthouse, Salthill, Co. Galway	28
Aasleagh House, 13 Cuan Glas, Bishop O'Donnell Road, Galway	24
Abbington Guest House, 12 Cuan Glas, Bishop O'Donnell Road, Galway	24
Southern Hills, Salthill, Co. Galway	35
Great Western House, Eyre Square, Galway	176
Dun Gibbons Inn, Clifden, Co. Galway	68
Atlantic Lodge, Kenmare, Co. Kerry	55
Bunrower House, Killarney, Co. Kerry	11
Ballymullen Barracks, Tralee, Co. Kerry	107
Johnston Marina Hotel, Tralee, Co. Kerry	86
Westward Court, Mary Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry	44
Killarney View House, Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry	28
The Village House, Glenbeigh Village, Co. Kerry	11
Park Lodge, Killarney, Co. Kerry	54
Ormonde Accommodation Centre, John's Green, Kilkenny	92
Magee Barracks, Kildare Town, Co. Kildare	179
Clyde House, St. Alphonsus Street, Limerick	94
Barrington's Lodge, George's Quay, Limerick	84
Richmond Court, Richmond Street, Longford	68
Riverbed Hostel, Great Water Street, Longford	22
Clanrye Villa B&B, Newry Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth	20
St. Laurence's Lodge, Drogheda, Co. Louth	55
Kincora House, Seatown Place, Dundalk, Co. Louth	29
Hughes House, Castlebar, Co. Mayo	12
Ceide House, Ballycastle, Co. Mayo	9
The Quiet Man Hostel, Abbey Street, Cong, Co. Mayo	34
Mosney Centre, Mosney, Co. Meath	363
Lough Muckno, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan	43
Wrafters Hotel, Castle Street, Tullamore, Co. Offaly	11
The Maltings Hostel, Birr, Co. Offaly	73
Bawn Lodge Guesthouse, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon	20
Address of Accommodation Centre	Current Occupancy Level
Red Cottage, Bundoran Road, Sligo	30
Ox Mountain Lodge, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo	8
Cashel Hostel, Cashel, Co. Tipperary	26
Clodagh Bar, Main Street, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary	31
Benamore House, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary	18
Vee Valley, Clogheen, Co. Tipperary	15
70 The Manor, Waterford City	20
Atlantic House/Coltro, Tramore, Co. Waterford	57
Ocean View, Tramore, Co. Waterford	44
Athlone Site, Athlone, Co. Westmeath	378
Beechlawn B&B, Corballis, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow	17
The Old Presbytery, The Fairgreen, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow	24
The Warrens, Kilmantin Hill, Wicklow Town	17
Inisfail House, Main Street, Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow	20
Hillcrest, Whiterock Hill, Pembrokestown, Co. Wexford	24
Old Rectory House, New Ross, Co. Wexford	29

In relation to the costs to the State of providing accommodation for asylum seekers, the rates payable to the owners of hostels, hotels, guesthouses, convents and other premises in use for full board accommodation is subject primarily, to the prevailing commercial market conditions. In recent weeks, the amounts paid to accommodation providers in respect of properties procured by the RIA are in the range of £140.00 to £175.00 per adult per week inclusive of VAT. For most of 2000, the amounts paid tended to be in the range of £147.00 to £189.00 per adult per week inclusive of VAT. Within this broad range the amount paid to individual centre owners is contingent on the overall standard of the accommodation and the facilities provided.

In all cases, prior to a property being brought into use by the RIA to accommodate asylum seekers, the owner-operator of that property signs a detailed memorandum of agreement which specifies the minimum standards required for the provision of full board accommodation for asylum seekers.

In the case of state owned properties, management companies are engaged by the agency to operate them. Memoranda of agreement are also signed between the agency and such companies setting out the terms and obligations for their operation.

The Memorandum of Agreement covers issues such as the reception and registration of asylum seekers, the maintenance and care of accommodation and facilities to be provided, and the responsibility of the proprietor-operator to ensure that the property in use complies and operates to all relevant statutory requirements including those relating to fire and public safety.

All asylum seekers resident in the centres procured by the RIA are accommodated on a full board basis. Full board consists of breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Snacks, tea and coffee are also available throughout the day. In addition, owners-operators are also obliged under the provisions of the memorandum of agreement to ensure that the menus offered reflect the reasonable needs of the different ethnic groups accommodated at the centre; portions of food shall not be restricted; the manager-proprietor has reasonable regard to the food needs of young infants and children resident at the centre, for example, provision of infant formula, food and heated milk for children; and lunches are provided to each school-going child.

The inspectorate unit within the RIA conducts regular inspections of each location where asylum seekers are accommodated to ensure that all conditions in the memorandum of agreement are being complied with. Any irregularities which come to light as a result of such inspections are followed up with proprietors, operators or management companies as appropriate.

The agency has also discontinued its use of a number of properties which did not comply with the requisite standards.

The following arrangements are in place to meet the health and psychological needs of asylum seekers. Asylum seekers are advised of the health services available to them through the information pack which is provided during their initial stay at a reception centre in Dublin. This pack also advises that further information about health services may be had from the local health boards where they are resettled.

They are also offered health screening free of charge on a voluntary basis – the purpose of which is to detect and treat diseases or conditions, in the interests of themselves, their families, and the community generally. It also enables persons with special health needs to be identified soon after their arrival. Where asylum seekers require special medical, psychological or psychiatric services, including services for people who have suffered torture or trauma, these are provided by the health services.

There is a dedicated team of psychologists based in Dublin which provides services for asylum seekers and refugees. The service is made available on request and a minimum of four sessions are provided to each patient before he or she is resettled in one of the regional accommodation centres.

Where it is evident that a greater level of psychological input is required the psychologist may recommend that the person remains in Dublin or close to another centre for continuing treatment. This also applies in the case of asylum seekers requiring specialist medical services and arrangements will be made by the RIA, at the request of the medical professionals, to ensure that the person is accommodated close to the relevant medical service centre.

There are also four main reception centres in Dublin where asylum seekers are accommodated for up to two weeks prior to their dispersal to provincial centres. These are Viking Lodge, Francis Street, Dublin 8, Parnell West Hotel, Parnell Square, Dublin 1, Harcourt Inn, 27 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 and Kilmacud House, Upper Kilmacud Road, Co. Dublin. In addition to these, there are also four overflow centres located in Dublin, i.e., The Staircase, Aungier Street, Dublin 8, Horse and Carriage, Aungier Street, Dublin 8, 10 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1, and 14 Gardiner Place, Dublin 1. In recent weeks, the number accommodated in these centres averaged 450 daily.