Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
693. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the communal facilities in direct provision centres; if communal activities such as meal times are being staggered in the interest of health and safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21119/21]
View answerCommunal facilities in accommodation centres provided by my Department vary from centre to centre but include reception areas, dining areas, play rooms for children, communal family rooms, study areas, laundry facilities and cooking facilities.
My Department communicates directly with centre managers and residents via regular newsletters, which can be found on our website - www.accommodationcentres.ie.
The newsletters have provided practical information on implementing social and physical distancing at this time and promoted shared learning and best practice across our network of centres. Residents have also been made aware of the need for good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette. Information and posters have been distributed to all centres and translations of public health information have also been provided.
All centres are following the guidelines that were published by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). These are publicly available at its website www.hpsc.ie. That guidance exists precisely because it is recognised that congregated settings such as our accommodation centres present specific challenges in this pandemic. My Department is working closely with the HSE and public health authorities in ensuring that guidance and measures in place at all centres are sufficient in light of changing conditions.
Centre managers have been asked to increase the standard and frequency of cleaning throughout the centres paying particular attention to communal areas. A regular supply of hand sanitiser for centres is in place and this is distributed to centres for the use of residents and staff as required. Other PPE such as masks, gloves, visors and aprons are distributed as needed and in line with the HPSC guidelines for its appropriate use in residential settings.
In addition an IPAS Living with COVID Plan was developed and clearly explains how each of the five levels of restrictions in Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 affects residents and visitors to centres.
All centres have put arrangements in place to support social and physical distancing when using laundry rooms, communal kitchens, dining rooms, foodhalls and other communal areas. Such arrangements may include limits on the number of people using the facilities at one time, rota systems and food collection for dining in own rooms. Residents are advised of the specific measures in each centre and appropriate signage is put in place too.
