Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
941. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is the policy of his Department to support the introduction of so-called 'community champions' to engage with local communities around issues of concern relating to accommodation of international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection. [63151/22]
View answerWhile efforts are made to notify public representatives and State agencies in advance of occupying a building, the emergency nature of the response required means that advance communications are not as comprehensive or as early as the Department would like.
Due to the scale of the present crisis this inevitably means that emergency accommodation of those seeking refuge must be occupied on a faster timeline than would otherwise be the case.
Before the opening of any facility the Department engages with local representatives to provide information as soon as possible following the agreement of terms with contractors.
While pressure to secure accommodation limits the amount of time available to provide advance consultation, the Department is working to improve advance communications for elected representatives, local authorities and local communities and to deepen mechanisms for community engagement.
