Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 June 2021
166. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a contract to provide quarantine facilities to international protection applicants at a facility (details supplied) in County Louth is to be renewed; if so, when renewal will take place; the period for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35422/21]
View answerThe emergency centre to which the Deputy refers is currently being used to provide quarantine facilities for residents who left their allocated accommodation to live temporarily with family or friends and who now wish to re-enter International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation. IPAS adopted this policy last year following consultations with public health officials in order to mitigate the risk of spread of COVID-19 from private accommodation to the IPAS accommodation network. My Department continues to work closely with the HSE and public health to manage the impact of the pandemic on the IPAS accommodation network and, in particular, the risk posed by new variants, in order to ensure the safety of all IPAS residents.
All emergency centre contracts, including the contract to which the Deputy refers, are currently under review. It would not be appropriate to comment further on what contractual arrangements, if any, the Department might put in place in respect of particular centres in the future.
