Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020
135. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure that vulnerable refugees receive the necessary medical care if they experience psychological difficulties in view of the situation which occurred at a reception centre (details supplied) recently. [40760/20]
View answerOfficials of the International Protection Accommodation Service of my Department make every effort to ensure that residents' of our accommodation centres, including the National Reception Centre at Balseskin, have their specific needs met. They routinely identify vulnerabilities and assess applicants for any special reception needs to meet their accommodation requirements. This is especially the case for families with young children and for applicants with a disability.
If a protection applicant chooses to accept an offer of accommodation from my Department, they will, in normal circumstances, be first brought to the National Reception Centre where medical screening and an orientation process is available over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. They will be offered a health assessment by the on-site HSE team, which comprises a nurse, nurse specialist, area medical officer, general practitioners, social worker and psychologist. This allows for applicants to be assessed for any special reception needs that they may have before they are designated an accommodation centre. The health screening provided is not mandatory and residents are free to decline the service. If a person wishes to remain in accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Service, he or she is allocated a place in a suitable longer-term centre at the end of the orientation and health screening period.
Safetynet, a primary care health service, carries out health screening, on behalf of the HSE, in a number of the temporary accommodation locations currently in use by the Department. The International Protection Accommodation Service works closely with the HSE screening team and with Safetynet to ensure that protection applicants are moved to locations where their medical needs can be met. They also work collaboratively to ensure that any special accommodation arrangements are in place as required. Where more intensive healthcare needs are required, such cases are referred directly to the HSE.
Discussions are ongoing between my Department officials and the HSE to enable formal vulnerability assessments for international protection applicants by the end of the year. This will ensure that a coherent process is in place for both the health and non-health aspects required in formalised assessments.
To assist in determining how best we can meet the health and related needs of applicants, the HSE National Office for Social Inclusion has commissioned research to explore the concept of vulnerability with a view to further improving our existing processes and I look forward to the outcome of this research.
I can also inform the Deputy that in the case she refers to the individual concerned was allocated accommodation and was due to leave for the centre on Wednesday 18 November along with other residents. However the person refused to accept the accommodation offered and instead opted to remain in the vicinity of the centre he was due to leave.
It was not possible to allow the person in question back into his former room at the Reception Centre in in Balseskin as he had completed the orientation process and the room he had been staying in had already been allocated to new arrivals. It should be noted that at all times that accommodation and transport to that accommodation were available to the person in question and at no point was he left by the State without somewhere to live, and sleep at night.
After further consideration the applicant subsequently accepted an offer of accommodation in a quarantine centre in the East of the country while IPAS officials attempted to find an alternative accommodation solution. Such centres offer additional wraparound services. Psychosocial supports are also provided through a number of NGOs including the Jesuit Refugee Service, Peter McVerry Trust, etc to residents of such centres.
After a further review of available space across the network a new offer of accommodation was made to the applicant which was accepted and IPAS arranged the necessary transport to ensure the person in question arrived at their agreed destination safely. At the same time as their arrrival at their new centre, IPAS contacted local service providers to ensure the person in question would be linked in with other relevant non-accommodation related services in the area. As with all such services it remains up to the individual themselves as to whether they wish to engage or not. However, I can assure the Deputy that IPAS will continue to work with other State service providers and relevant organisations to ensure that this person's needs, and indeed the needs of all those requiring IPAS accommodation, will continue to be met to the fullest extent possible.
