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Direct Provision System

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Questions (444, 445, 446, 447)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

444. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the friends of the centre aspect of the new proposed direct provision centre in Letterkenny, County Donegal; the other centres and counties that have friends of the centre structures; the organisations involved in such structures; the decision-making process; the person or body to which the groups are accountable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41238/20]

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Thomas Pringle

Question:

445. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the feedback and complaints mechanisms that will be available to the new residents of the proposed direct provision centre in Letterkenny, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41239/20]

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Thomas Pringle

Question:

446. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there will be staff trained specifically in dealing with trauma, integration and other well-being areas in the new proposed direct provision centre in Letterkenny, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41240/20]

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Thomas Pringle

Question:

447. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeframe for move-ins he is expecting for the new proposed direct provision centre in Letterkenny, County Donegal; the consultation he is taking with Government colleagues on ensuring that all necessary infrastructural issues are resolved in Letterkenny in the coming month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41241/20]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 to 447, inclusive, together.

An accommodation centre for families in the International Protection process will open on Port Road in Letterkenny in early 2021. It is expected that residents will move into the centre on a phased basis over a period of 8 to 10 weeks thereafter.   

While their application is being examined, all applicants for International Protection are offered free of charge: accommodation, meals or food supplies (where self-catering is available) and personal care products.  Other supports such as healthcare, education for children and classes for adults, and a weekly payment for personal expenditure are provided through the relevant State services. 

As part of the establishment of any such accommodation centre my Department, through the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), develops close working relationships with all state and local agencies including the Departments of Social Protection and Education and the HSE.  This ensures that the whole of Government service envisioned by the system is delivered directly to all residents in all accommodation services by the relevant government department or State agency.

My Department has already engaged with state service providers in preparation for the arrival of residents to the Port Road Accommodation Centre and will continue to liaise with them as necessary for as long as the centre remains in operation. Officials from my Department have also met with the Letterkenny Municipal Council to brief councillors on the planned opening and will continue to engage and update Council members in coming weeks and months.  

I can also assure the Deputy that the ongoing welfare needs of International Protection applicants is of upmost importance to my Department and is taken into consideration during the procurement process for accommodation centres. Potential contractors are required to propose an implementation plan to provide for the welfare needs of residents. This plan must provide details regarding the experience and qualifications of staff in providing social care in a residential facility, ideally in a multicultural environment.  Particular consideration is given to the qualifications or experience of staff in dealing with vulnerable people and people suffering from the effects of trauma.

The Port Road Accommodation Centre in Letterkenny will be operated by Bridgestock Care which has extensive experience of providing services to protection applicants (asylum seekers) and refugees in social care settings across multiple locations both in Ireland and abroad. The team of people available to Bridgestock Care for the centre in Letterkenny is highly qualified and very experienced in providing social care in multicultural environments.

The IPAS has also recently engaged Barnardos to provide training to all centres and emergency accommodation locations, on 'Understanding Child Development through a Trauma Informed Lens'. This training will assist with ensuring centre staff and managers are aware of the impact of trauma on children and understand how that may inform the behaviour of any child or indeed adult who has been impacted by trauma.

The IPAS has a complaints procedure which is set out in the House Rules & Procedures Booklet for International Protection applicants.  Complaints are made initially to the centre manager with a view to informal resolution.  If the person concerned is not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, he or she may make a complaint to IPAS who will investigate the matter and take action as appropriate.  In the event that a resident is not satisfied with how his or her complaint is dealt with, he or she has full access to the services of the Ombudsman and Ombudsman for Children.

In addition, a confidential Freephone telephone support service, funded by, but independent of, my Department, was also established in May 2020 to provide further support to residents that are being accommodated by my Department. This Freephone confidential support helpline is operated by the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS).  Any complaint made through this service may be passed in confidence to IPAS for investigation and resolution.

I can also inform the Deputy that all centre operators are contractually bound to facilitate the establishment of a ‘Friends of the Centre’ group and must make a room available to facilitate meetings.  The operation of the ‘Friends of the Centre’ group is facilitated by staff from the accommodation centre.

The composition of each group varies from centre to centre but will include residents, staff members and volunteers from the local community. Officials from the IPAS will occasionally attend meetings if invited by the group to do so.

The purpose of the group is to help establish links between the residents of accommodation centres and local community, voluntary and sporting groups which promotes integration across the community and assists residents to have meaningful interaction with the local community. They are a valuable support to residents and to centre managers and staff. 

The groups promote relationships between the centre and the local community and local clubs so residents may take part in a variety of activities outside the centre, in the community, to assist with their integration.  There is no decision making responsibility in respect of residents associated with the groups.

The scope of and the types of activities engaged in by the group vary from centre to centre. They reflect the type of residents being accommodated in a centre and also the voluntary groups that are active in a particular locality. For example, the activities engaged in by a group based in a centre that accommodates only single adults will be different to those engaged in by a group based on a centre accommodating families. Examples of groups that have engaged with Friends of the Centre include local Tidy Towns committees, sports clubs, Men's Sheds and Mother and Baby clubs.  Groups providing for activities, in the centres or externally, with the aim of integrating residents of the centres into the community are eligible to apply for funding under the Communities Integration Fund (CIF). 

The new Centre in Letterkenny will also have an Activities Co-Ordinator to assist residents this through a range of different initiatives including but not limited to:

- A comprehensive Induction Seminar for all residents the day after arrival that includes information and briefing on all integration initiatives at the Centre

- English classes provided by the Education Training Board

- Attendance by the Activites Co-Ordinator (by agreement) with parents at parent/teacher meetings at local schools particularly in cases where they may be language difficulties

- Ongoing support and guidance from the management team in helping residents who obtain a permission to reside in the State to find suitable accommodation in the community and integrate into society once they leave the centre.

The operation of the ‘Friends of the Centre’ group will be facilitated by the Activities Co-Ordinator and other staff from the accommodation centre.

I am pleased to note that a number of local groups in Letterkenny have already made contact with my Department to offer their support and assistance to the families when they arrive.  I envisage that the Friends of the Centre Group for the Port Road Accommodation Centre will develop into a thriving and productive forum linking the centre with the local community, ensuring the local community have an opportunity to become an active part of the Centre as well as facilitating local engagement with the residents of the Centre.

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