Written Answers Nos. 413-429
413. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total money available for thatching grants in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013; the number of grants issued on a county basis in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13002/13]
View answerUnder my Department's grant scheme for the renewal or repair of a thatched roof, a grant of up to €3,810 or two thirds of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, may be payable in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of houses. A higher grant of up to €5,714 may be payable where the house is situated on certain specified islands off the West and South coasts. In the case of medical card holders a grant of up to €6,350, or up to 80% of the approved cost, may be payable in respect of houses situated on the mainland, rising to €8,252 where the house is situated on a specified off-shore island.
The scheme is demand led and a provisional amount of €680,000 has been set aside to meet anticipated expenditure this year. Details of grant expenditure for the year s 2010 to date together with a breakdown of the numbers of grants paid, by county, for the same period are set out in the following tables :
Table 1 . Thatching Grants - Annual Expenditure
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2010 |
€840,735 |
|
2011 |
€725,505 |
|
2012 |
€601,669 |
|
2013 (to 24 April) |
€199,675 |
Table 2 . Thatching Grants paid per county
|
County |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 (to 24 April) |
|
Carlow |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Clare |
2 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
|
Cork |
10 |
13 |
6 |
3 |
|
Donegal |
32 |
18 |
11 |
7 |
|
Dublin |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
Galway |
40 |
31 |
35 |
8 |
|
Kerry |
4 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
Kildare |
5 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
|
Kilkenny |
4 |
9 |
6 |
1 |
|
Laois |
7 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
15 |
9 |
10 |
3 |
|
Longford |
1 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
|
Louth |
3 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
|
Mayo |
6 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
|
Meath |
5 |
9 |
4 |
0 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
3 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
|
Roscommon |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
8 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary |
14 |
10 |
5 |
3 |
|
Waterford |
8 |
11 |
8 |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
3 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
|
Wicklow |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
414. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts of funding available to heritage projects under the rural development, Leader programme 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13136/13]
View answerThe main aims of Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) are to support the diversification of the rural economy and improve the quality of life in rural areas. Through the RDP measure Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage , funding is provided to support an integrated approach to the protection of the local heritage through a suite of related preservation actions, complemented by a range of initiatives designed to develop the sustainable economic contribution of the natural heritage. To date this measure has registered almost €13 million euro in expenditure with a further €8.9 million in contractual commitments yet to be paid on completion of the work, a total of €21.6 million.
The recent completion of a full review of project approvals under Axis 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the RDP has facilitated the immediate issuing of contracts for approximately €42 million worth of projects that have all the necessary approvals in place. This includes just over €2.5 million under the Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage measure which is in addition to the €21.6 million referred to above. The Local Development Companies (LDCs) contracted to deliver the LEADER elements of the RDP have been allowed two weeks, until 8 May, to let my Department know whether all of the projects within this €42 million are ready to proceed. Once this exercise is complete my Department will then be in a position to establish the remaining balance of funding in the RDP and will notify each LDC of their allocation to the end of the Programme. Following this my Department will request a revised financial plan from each LDC which will detail how their overall allocation is apportioned under the various RDP measures. The national allocation per measure will be based on these returns.
415. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the provision of funding by his Department for a sewage collection network at Kildare town; the length of time this network collection application has been with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20375/13]
View answerThe Kildare Sewerage Scheme (Sewer Network Contract) is included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 as a contract to proceed to construction during the lifetime of the Programme.
Kildare County Council’s revised Contract Documents for this contract were received in my Department on 23 April 2013 and are under examination at present.
416. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to pyrite related property tax exemption, if he will clarify if engineers' reports and geotechnical tests results which were completed prior to the publication of IS398 which will have cost the house owner thousands of euro, including VAT, will be accepted for exemption from property tax. [20429/13]
View answerSection 10A of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 (as amended) provides for a temporary exemption of at least three consecutive years from the charge to Local Property Tax (LPT) for residential properties that have been certified as having "significant pyritic damage".
Regulations are currently being finalised in my Department and will be published shortly which will set out the methodology for the assessment of dwellings to establish significant pyritic damage. The Regulations will require that homeowners demonstrate significant pyritic damage in accordance with the recently published standard by the National Standards Authority of Ireland, I.S. 398 – Reactive Pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1. This standard provides guidance on the building condition assessment, as well as on the sampling and testing to be carried out to establish the presence of significant pyritic damage.
To be eligible for an exemption from the LPT, a homeowner must obtain a certificate, from a competent person, confirming the presence of significant pyritic damage on the basis of a building condition assessment in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 and having regard to the outcome of the testing and classification of the sub-floor hardcore material carried out in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013. Eligibility for an exemption will be determined by reference to the presence of significant pyritic damage in the relevant property concerned.
Conscious of the need to reduce costs to affected homeowners, provision is being made in the Regulations for the use, where feasible, of the results from testing of the sub-floor hardcore undertaken prior to the publication of I.S. 398-1:2013, to classify the hardcore material if the testing that has been carried out is in accordance with, or equivalent to, the test methods provided in I.S. 398-1:2013, and this has been validated as such by a competent person.
A Building Condition Assessment in accordance with I.S. 398 will be required to be carried out by a competent person irrespective of when the testing is, or was, carried out.
A homeowner cannot claim the exemption until the relevant certificate has been issued in respect of the residential property. He or she should notify the Revenue Commissioners at that stage to claim the exemption. Special arrangements will apply in respect of 2013 and 2014 to facilitate homeowners in claiming an exemption. While homeowners who do not have the relevant certificate on the first liability date of 1 May 2013 (liability date for 2013), or by 1 November 2013 (liability date for 2014), will be required to pay LPT for those periods, they will be able to reclaim the tax paid if they obtain the certificate by 31 December 2013 and notify the Revenue Commissioners in writing on or before 31 January 2014. As an alternative to such retrospective treatment they can opt to start the period of exemption from the liability date following the issue of the certificate.
417. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline on a local authority basis, the number of households which paid the property tax on a monthly basis since November 2012. [20430/13]
View answerThe Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the Household Charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date is liable to pay the Household Charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. It is a matter for an owner of a residential property to determine liability and pay the Charge.
The Local Government Management Agency is administering the Household Charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. The table below details the properties registered for the Household Charge, including waiver registrations, by local authority area on 30 November 2012, 31 December 2012, 31 January 2013, 28 February 2013, 31 March 2013 and on 26 April 2013.
I am advised by the Agency that due to relatively low volumes, waiver details are not automatically extracted on a daily basis and the numbers of waivers cannot be retrospectively generated once a date has passed. Therefore, in assembling the table, the figure for the number of waivers for some dates has been estimated by the Agency using the closest available date for which waiver figures are recorded. Given the low number of waivers as a proportion of the total number of properties registered, the impact on the attached table is minimal.
|
County/City Council |
Properties Registered 30/11/2012 |
Properties Registered 31/12/2012 |
Properties Registered 31/1/2013 |
Properties Registered 28/2/2013 |
Properties Registered 31/3/2013 |
Properties Registered 26/4/2013 |
|
Carlow |
12,094 |
12,431 |
12,876 |
13,110 |
13,267 |
13,553 |
|
Cavan |
17,217 |
17,483 |
17,891 |
18,147 |
18,338 |
18,631 |
|
Clare |
33,026 |
33,570 |
34,200 |
34,915 |
35,461 |
36,066 |
|
Cork City |
28,126 |
28,452 |
28,751 |
29,001 |
29,392 |
30,047 |
|
Cork County |
93,154 |
95,653 |
97,914 |
99,224 |
100,852 |
102,878 |
|
Donegal |
36,141 |
37,292 |
38,429 |
39,652 |
40,221 |
41,212 |
|
Dublin City |
138,361 |
139,856 |
141,425 |
142,126 |
143,744 |
146,184 |
|
Dún Laoghaire -Rathdown |
63,380 |
63,842 |
64,421 |
64,674 |
65,082 |
65,712 |
|
Fingal |
62,075 |
63,068 |
64,115 |
64,673 |
65,720 |
67,071 |
|
Galway City |
20,167 |
21,024 |
21,279 |
21,451 |
21,655 |
21,941 |
|
Galway County |
41,731 |
41,990 |
43,592 |
44,695 |
45,264 |
46,238 |
|
Kerry |
43,445 |
43,909 |
44,502 |
45,025 |
45,422 |
46,191 |
|
Kildare |
45,833 |
46,612 |
47,522 |
47,979 |
48,679 |
49,728 |
|
Kilkenny |
21,399 |
21,927 |
22,574 |
22,830 |
23,079 |
23,444 |
|
Laois |
16,433 |
16,670 |
17,135 |
17,415 |
17,624 |
17,919 |
|
Leitrim |
9,168 |
9,258 |
9,484 |
9,618 |
9,773 |
9,963 |
|
Limerick City |
14,134 |
14,293 |
14,423 |
14,580 |
14,858 |
15,150 |
|
Limerick County |
31,743 |
32,180 |
32,874 |
33,235 |
33,716 |
34,350 |
|
Longford |
8,777 |
9,066 |
9,344 |
9,574 |
9,712 |
9,917 |
|
Louth |
25,259 |
25,776 |
26,419 |
26,743 |
27,091 |
27,546 |
|
Mayo |
38,749 |
39,391 |
40,837 |
41,535 |
41,909 |
42,356 |
|
Meath |
38,264 |
39,239 |
40,044 |
40,520 |
41,074 |
41,873 |
|
Monaghan |
13,880 |
14,023 |
14,397 |
14,519 |
14,710 |
14,854 |
|
North Tipperary |
18,075 |
18,293 |
18,627 |
18,836 |
19,128 |
19,359 |
|
Offaly |
15,173 |
15,736 |
16,058 |
16,426 |
16,680 |
17,059 |
|
Roscommon |
16,131 |
16,593 |
17,530 |
18,003 |
18,228 |
18,566 |
|
Sligo |
17,825 |
18,311 |
18,988 |
19,274 |
19,501 |
19,855 |
|
South Dublin |
52,369 |
53,227 |
54,000 |
54,424 |
55,395 |
56,809 |
|
South Tipperary |
20,729 |
21,027 |
21,467 |
21,699 |
21,951 |
22,374 |
|
Waterford City |
10,668 |
10,774 |
10,942 |
11,037 |
11,163 |
11,400 |
|
Waterford County |
16,467 |
16,677 |
16,984 |
17,204 |
17,446 |
17,784 |
|
Westmeath |
20,420 |
20,670 |
21,011 |
21,215 |
21,433 |
21,909 |
|
Wexford |
36,698 |
37,168 |
38,079 |
38,736 |
39,233 |
39,891 |
|
Wicklow |
32,049 |
32,357 |
32,834 |
33,161 |
33,524 |
34,029 |
418. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of the number of assaults that have been committed by members of the public on staff in Bus Éireann in the past three years; the number of those assaults that were committed by members of the public on Bus Éireann drivers; the number of those assaults that were reported to An Garda Síochána by Bus Éireann; the number of those assaults reported to the Garda by Bus Éireann that resulted in convictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19760/13]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities that the information sought is not readily available and would require disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources to compile. I can assure that Deputy that An Garda Síochána take very seriously any reports of incidents of assault or anti-social behaviour which occur on public transport. An Garda Síochána are in regular contact with transport providers to address any issues which arise.
419. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda vehicles that have been rolled out nationally; the number allocated to the Tipperary Garda division; if he will identify the Garda stations in the Tipperary division that received patrol cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19730/13]
View answerDecisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the context of his identified operational demands and in the light of available resources. Responsibility for the efficient deployment of all Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between stations, as required by operational circumstances.
The Deputy will be aware that an additional €3 million was made available to An Garda Síochána towards the end of last year which enabled the Force to procure a further 171 vehicles. This brought total investment in the Garda fleet in 2012 to €4 million and resulted in a total of 213 new vehicles being procured during the year.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the roll out of the most recently purchased patrol vehicles has been completed. Details of the vehicles allocated to the Garda Districts within the Tipperary Division in 2012 are outlined in the table below. A more detailed breakdown is not currently available.
|
District |
No. of Vehicles |
|
Cahir District |
3 |
|
Clonmel District |
1 |
|
Thurles District |
3 |
In addition to the investment provided in 2012, a specific allocation of €5 million has been provided for the purchase and fit-out of Garda transport in the current year. This represents a very considerable financial investment in Garda transport, particularly at a time when the level of funding available across the public sector is severely limited. It is a clear indication of my commitment to ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, An Garda Síochána are provided with sufficient resources to enable them to deliver an effective and efficient policing service.
420. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the immigration status of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19770/13]
View answerThe person concerned is a failed asylum applicant. Arising from the refusal of his asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was notified, by letter dated 13th November, 2006, that the then Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of him. He was given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of consenting to the making of a Deportation Order or of making representations to the then Minister setting out the reasons why a Deportation Order should not be made against him. In addition, he was notified of his entitlement to apply for subsidiary protection in accordance with the provisions of the European Communities (Eligibility for Protection) Regulations 2006.
The person concerned submitted an application for subsidiary protection. When consideration of this application has been completed, the person concerned will be notified in writing of the outcome.
In the event that the application for subsidiary protection is refused, the position in the State of the person concerned will then be decided by reference to the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement. All representations submitted will be considered before a final decision is made. Once a decision has been made, this decision, and the consequences of the decision, will be conveyed in writing to the person concerned.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
421. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration has been given to compelling bicycle shops and other purveyors of bicycles to retain the serial numbers of bicycles sold along with the purchasers' details they retain, especially for those availing of the cycle to work tax scheme, as a measure to tackle the increase in theft of bicycles and to allow for more bikes to be reunited with their owners quickly when recovered by An Garda Síochána. [19816/13]
View answer422. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration is being given to a voluntary registration of bicycle serial numbers with An Garda Síochána and the steps being taken to prevent and tackle the increasing theft of bicycles. [19817/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 421 and 422 together.
An Garda Síochána is proactive in encouraging the public to protect their property, including bicycles, and a range of measures are in place to prevent and tackle the theft of bicycles.
A crime prevention information leaflet on bicycle security is available on the Garda website, www.garda.ie . The leaflet accentuates the importance of bicycle owners keeping a record of the bicycle frame identification number, colour and any other unique features. Furthermore, in July 2012, An Garda Síochána created a link from the Garda website to YouTube to call attention to a video on bicycle security which had been developed as a joint initiative by An Garda Síochána and Dublin City Council. I am also informed that An Garda Síochána is currently rolling out a pilot scheme in a number of Garda locations which allows members of the public to view on-line photographs of recovered property, including bicycles, on the Garda page of the social media site, Flickr.
I have no plans at the present time to introduce legal obligations in this regard over and above the voluntary crime prevention measures which owners of any type of valuable property are encouraged to take to assist in the return of their property should it be recovered following a theft.
423. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is considering making it compulsory for mobile telephone retailers or operators to retain the IMEI serial number of the telephone being purchased, to help tackle the increasing theft of mobile telephones and the steps he will take to tackle this growing crime. [19818/13]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that, in accordance with the provisions of the Telecommunications (Retention of Data) Act, 2011, telecommunications service providers currently retain the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers in respect of mobile phone devices operating on their networks. In the event of a provider receiving a report of a mobile phone being stolen, the IMEI number is used to prevent that mobile device from being used.
I can also advise the Deputy that a proactive approach is being applied by An Garda Síochána in relation to theft from persons, and in particular the theft of mobile phones. A crime prevention information leaflet, Mobile Phone Theft Prevention Advice, is available on the Garda Website and a public awareness campaign, including a dedicated item on the Crimeline programme, was undertaken by An Garda Síochána in March 2013 to inform and advise the public on how to protect their mobile phones.
In addition, the Dublin City Joint Policing Committee in association with An Garda Síochána and Dublin City Council have prepared an information booklet outlining the risks associated with the use of smart phones in public places. It also provides information on ways in which people can safeguard their phones, including obtaining their IMEI numbers and through increased SIM locking and PIN activation to ensure that if their phone is stolen the service provider can immediately block the phone, rendering it immediately inoperative. These leaflets are currently being distributed throughout Dublin City with a view to increasing the public’s awareness to smart phone theft.
At an enforcement level, An Garda Síochána also continues to address the challenges associated with thefts from the person, including theft of mobile phones. In this regard Operation Aughrim was introduced in June 2012, in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, with particular emphasis being placed in the Pearse Street and Store Street Districts. This operation is intelligence led with uniformed Gardaí engaged in a high visibility patrols as well as plain clothes members conducting surveillance in identified hotspots. Contact with mobile phone shops which specialise in the sale, supply and repair of second hand smart phones also forms part of this operation.
424. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when persons (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on an application for naturalisation. [19864/13]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the persons referred to had their applications granted and were presented with a Certificate of Naturalisation at a citizenship ceremony held at the Convention Centre, Dublin on 14 June 2012 and 30 August 2012 respectively.
425. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on an application for naturalisation. [19865/13]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the person referred to had his application granted and was presented with a Certificate of Naturalisation at a citizenship ceremony held at the Convention Centre, Dublin on 14 June 2012.
426. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to end the system of direct provision here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19939/13]
View answer427. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is in a position to introduce a maximum six month stay in accommodation for children who in are direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19940/13]
View answer428. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if any assessment has been done on the psychological needs of children in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19941/13]
View answer429. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on an independent external inquiry into the direct provision system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19942/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 426 to 429, inclusive, together.
The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the operation of the system of direct provision. There are currently 35 asylum accommodation centres under contract to RIA, providing accommodation and ancillary services to 4,715 persons.
The Direct Provision system remains a key pillar of the State's asylum and immigration system and I have no plans to end it. I, and previous Ministers for Justice and Equality, have explained in response to previous Dáil Questions how the normal structures dealing with homelessness could not cope when the number of asylum seekers arriving in Ireland increased dramatically, and how the Direct Provision system was the only realistic accommodation solution. There are no cheaper alternatives to the direct provision system. In fact, if we were operating a system which facilitated asylum seekers in living independent lives in individual housing with social welfare support and payments, aside from the asylum 'pull factor' it would likely create, the cost to the exchequer would be double what is currently paid under the direct provision system. This was a key finding in the recent Value for Money Report on the direct provision system which was published in 2010 and is on the RIA website - www.ria.gov.ie. I have also explained the nature of the full board accommodation system provided; how RIA coordinates through other Government bodies a number of ancillary services to residents; how residents are offered free medical screening on arrival in the State and have access to health services; and how residents have access to primary and secondary education services, on the same basis as Irish citizens.
The practical effect of limiting the time spent by children spent in Direct Provision to six months is that the system itself becomes largely inoperable beyond that period for all residents. The alternative is the granting of the right to work and an extensive range of mainstreamed social and housing supports which, for the reasons given above, is not a realistic policy option. That said, I have acknowledged that the length of time spent in direct provision and the complexity of the asylum process is an issue to be addressed. The accommodation system is inextricably linked to the surrounding asylum process. The revised Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill, which I intend to re-publish, should substantially simplify and streamline the existing arrangements for asylum, subsidiary protection and leave to remain applications. It will do this by making provision for the establishment of a single application procedure, so that applicants can be provided with a final decision on all aspects of their protection application in a more straight forward and timely fashion. Pending the enactment and commencement of the new legislation and with a view to improving processing, I am proposing to introduce new arrangements for the processing of subsidiary protection applications in light of recent judgments in the Superior Courts. My Department, in consultation with the Attorney General's Office, is developing a new legislative and administrative framework for the processing of current and future subsidiary protection applications. This work is being given high priority and applicants will be advised of the new arrangements as soon as possible.
In relation to the psychological needs of asylum seekers in direct provision, including their children, all such persons are entitled to the same level of medical - including psychological - care as persons residing in the general community. Asylum seekers are, by definition, a category of persons who arrived in this country seeking protection from harm. They are disconnected from their home country, from family and from their social network. Decisions as to whether there needs to be specific research into the psychological needs of a particular set of children is ultimately a matter for the HSE to determine. In this context, it should be noted that the medical and psychological services provided to asylum seekers are at least on a par with those provided to the community generally. Some additional supports such as psychological supports focussed specifically on asylum seekers are also provided. Other organisations also provide supports locally and nationally, many of which (such as Spirasi's Centre for the Survivors of Torture) receive funding from the HSE.
In this connection, it cannot be emphasised enough that RIA takes the issue of child welfare, and the protection of residents generally, very seriously. RIA has had a child protection policy, based on the HSE's Children First Policy, in place since 2006. There is a specific unit in RIA called the Child and Family Services Unit, which is fully staffed and whose role is to manage, deliver, coordinate, monitor and plan all matters relating to child and family services for all asylum seekers residing in the direct provision system. It also acts as a conduit between RIA and the HSE, the latter having statutory functions in this area. Moreover, all staff in centres must be Garda vetted and comply with RIA's child protection policy, a copy of which is available on its website - www.ria.gov.ie. This is in furtherance of RIA's policy which has as its principal aim the minimisation of risk to children and vulnerable adults residing in its centres.
In terms of an independent external enquiry into the direct provision system ,I have already indicated that it cannot be viewed separately from the overall asylum and immigration system which is ultimately a matter of Government policy subject to scrutiny and oversight by the Oireachtas. Over the years, the system has been open to scrutiny by many national and international bodies. Centres have been visited by various international bodies, including the UNHCR, the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner, by the Council of Europe European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), and others. On 6 October, 2011, in Geneva I appeared before the UN Human Rights Committee in connection with its scrutiny of Ireland under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Process . No recommendation was made in relation to the Direct Provision system in the Committee's subsequent UPR report on Ireland.
The practical day to day operation of the system is,of course subject to inspection, including independent inspection.. All accommodation centres under contract to RIA are obliged to ensure that their premises comply with and operate in accordance with all relevant statutory requirements of local authorities in relation to planning, building, bye-laws, bedroom capacity, food, food hygiene, water supply, sewage disposal, fire precautions, and general safety. Inspections of the direct provision centres are carried out by RIA inspectors, an external Inspectorate (QTS Ltd), plus other inspections for fire safety and food safety (EHO). As already cited, a comprehensive review on the operation of the asylum seeker accommodation programme was carried out and the subsequent report - "Value for Money and Policy Review - Asylum Seeker Accommodation Programme" - was published in May 2010. A copy of this review is available on the RIA website at www.ria.gov.ie.
