Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 September 2021
428. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44707/21]
View answerI note that the correspondence the Deputy refers to is from a member of the public who asks about my plans to end direct provision and expresses concern about the welfare of applicants in the current system.
As the Deputy will be aware, I published a “White Paper to End Direct Provision and to establish a new International Protection Support Service”. The White Paper sets out a new Government policy to establish a new International Protection Support Service which I envision will be fully operational by December 2024. This new system will have human rights at its core and will help to ensure that all applicants are treated with dignity and respect. In the wider context of ending Direct Provision by this date, I have committed to ending the use of emergency accommodation for International Protection applicants by the end of 2021.
IPAS has been working to this end since early 2020 and has already closed 19 such centres. This is just under half the total in use at one time.
Furthermore, the International Protection Support Service Transition Team of this Department is progressing a detailed implementation plan for the new system and is working closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Agency and the Local Authorities on developing the new Accommodation Model and wrap-around services for residents.
As we transition to the new system, in order to meet our legal obligations to provide accommodation and other support services for protection applicants, existing accommodation centres will continue to operate in the short to medium term; as such my Department currently utilises a mixture of state owned, commercial and temporary emergency accommodation centres.
As for the concerns expressed in the correspondence regarding the welfare of applicants in the current system, there is a clear graduated complaints procedure 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 resident concerned is not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, they may make a complaint to IPAS who will investigate the matter and take action as appropriate. In the event that a resident remains dissatisfied with how their complaint is dealt with, they have full access to the services of the Ombudsman and Ombudsman for Children.?
To provide further support to all residents, a confidential Freephone telephone support service exists. The Freephone helpline is operated by the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). A complaint made to the JRS may be resolved without any IPAS intervention through mediation between the JRS team, the resident and whatever service their complaint relates to. Should a resident desire, a complaint made through this service may also be passed, in confidence, back to IPAS for investigation and resolution.
In addition to the existing complaints mechanisms available to residents, two new specialist teams were established in IPAS earlier this year to provide a greater focus on the individual needs of residents.
A new dedicated IPAS Customer Services Team is working to strengthen the existing resident complaints system and take a more proactive approach to dealing with residents' issues, actively engaging with residents through regular resident feedback clinics. As well this increased engagement in person with residents at centres throughout the State the Customer Services Team team will also be exploring the use of other feedback mechanisms such as customer focus groups in the months ahead.
The IPAS Resident Welfare Team is a new multi-disciplinary team which focuses on residents with more complex issues including those with physical and mental health issues and persons identified through the IPAS Vulnerability Assessment Process as having special reception needs. This team is supported by officials from Tusla, the HSE's Social Inclusion Team and the Department of Education. Additional Social Workers are currently being recruited to provide further support to the team.
I trust that this information is of assistance to the Deputy.
