I offer my condolences to the family on the death of their infant son in such tragic circumstances. The death of an infant child is always a tragedy and it is all the more poignant that it should occur in such tragic circumstances as happened in this case. All accommodation providers and companies managing State owned properties are required under contract, generically approved by the Office of the Attorney General, to ensure that all accommodation centres comply and operate in accordance with all statutory requirements of local authorities and State agencies in relation to bedroom capacity, food, food hygiene, water supply, fire safety and general safety.
In relation to the needs of babies, children and expectant mothers, rigorous contractual requirements are imposed on accommodation providers. In this regard, proprietors and operators of all accommodation centres where asylum seekers with children are accommodated are required to have reasonable regard to the needs of young children. All of the contractual obligations were met by the proprietor in this instance. A cot was provided in the en suite room, the size of which was appropriate to the family and met the provisions of the Housing Act, 1966. In addition, the room contained a television unit, similar to that provided in many hotels. In common with units of this nature, it was designed so that facilities for making tea or coffee could be placed on it. Parents of young children in the centre are discouraged from using kettles or other electrical cooking appliances in their rooms because of safety risks. Although no electrical cooking appliance or kettle was provided by the hotel in the bedroom in question, a dedicated area of the hotel was available 24 hours a day to enable light snacks and food for infants to be prepared. The facilities available included fridges, kettles, sterilizers, microwave ovens, cutlery and crockery.
It is unfortunate that an infant lost his life as a result of this tragic accident. I regret the outcome of the incident, as do staff members in the hotel. It would be wrong to imply that the cause of the dreadful accident could be attributed to inadequacy in the accommodation provided. On receipt of the report of the boy's death, a senior officer from the Reception and Integration Agency travelled to Cork to meet his family and to provide assistance. On arrival, he met the fam ily to offer condolences on behalf of the agency and put in place arrangements with the family, the Southern Health Board and the Garda for the child's funeral in accordance with the requirements of the Muslim faith.
