Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2020
368. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been a follow-up or investigation into reports of alleged assaults on residents at a direct provision centre (details supplied). [11189/20]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that any investigations into alleged assaults are a matter for An Garda Síochána and it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment on the matter.
More generally, following a number of issues raised in relation to this emergency accommodation premises, officials from the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department recently (4 June) held a clinic via video call with residents of the centre. This was attended by 12 of the 19 residents currently residing at the centre.
The clinic was held off-site in the Miltown Malbay Community Centre and was facilitated by a volunteer from the Limerick and Clare Educational Training Board (LCETB). Other than the residents and the facilitator, only the manager of the Community Centre and the caretaker were present onsite at the time.
Each resident attended their own clinic appointment in a separate room away from the facilitator and the manager of the Community Centre to ensure privacy and confidentiality.
The majority of residents who attended the clinic stated they were happy with the food and with the accommodation in general. A small number of the residents who participated in the clinics stated that the food was not to their liking.
Following the clinics, an unannounced visit was made to the accommodation the next day (5 June 2020) by a senior official from my Department. During this visit, a number of issues raised in recent correspondence to my Office were investigated. I can confirm that during this visit all rooms were viewed and that no health and safety issues were identified. My officials will be following up with management and residents on any of the issues raised during the recent clinics.
IPAS officials previously visited the premises unannounced on 13 February last, on foot of concerns raised by a local support group. During the course of this visit, they inspected all bedrooms and recreation rooms and the kitchen and dining facilities and they had lunch with the residents. I am advised that my officials did not find any major issues to report and the residents they spoke to did not raise any issues about the standard of the centre. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) also carried out a visit to the premises in February as part of a programme of visits to a variety of centres over a two week period. No specific issues were brought to my Department's attention regarding the premises arising from their visit.
It is my Department’s intention is to accommodate all international protection applicants currently living in emergency accommodation in dedicated accommodation centres as soon as places become available. In the meantime, I hope that this information will provide you with some reassurance on the current situation at this centre.
