6 May 2015, 10:41
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions will launch a noteworthy report which will argue for greater oversight of Ireland’s Direct Provision System tomorrow, Thursday 7 May, in Leinster House. You are invited to attend, or send a representative.
6 May 2015
The Committee will make important recommendations in relation to extending the remit of the Ombudman and FOI legislation to cover the Direct Provision System.
- Event: Launch of Report on the extension of the remit of the Ombudsman to cover all aspects and bodies associated with the Direct Provision System (DPS) and the extension of the remit of Freedom of Information to cover all aspects and bodies associated with the DPS including all the suppliers of goods and services, whether from the Private or Public Sectors
- Location: A/V Room, LH2000, Leinster House.
- Date: Thursday 7 May 2015
- Time: 11am
The Report flows from public hearings with a range of stakeholders in Leinster House and site visits to four centres at Galway, Foynes, Mosney and Clondalkin.
Committee Chairman Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD says: “Having met with management, staff and residents of four Direct Provision Centres at the Committee is acutely aware of the difficulties being experienced by many within the current system. The quality of accommodation at the centres, the complaints process and, above all, the lengthy time spans in processing applications are of grave concern to the Committee.
“As part of the process, we examined how the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman can be fully inclusive of the Direct Provision System, including the Appeals System and the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service as it relates to the Direct Provision System. As a Committee with responsibility for public service oversight, the Report will also detail how Freedom of Information Acts can be made fully applicable, in all respects, to the administration of the Direct Provision Centres.”
As well as containing important recommendations for Government, the Report also outlines a number of areas of follow-up for the Oireachtas Committees on Justice and Equality; Education and Social Protection, and Health and Children.
The launch will be webcast live at 11 am from the A/V room via this link.
A recording of the launch will also be played out on Oireachtas TV, available on UPC 207, Sky 574 and eVision 504 later that day.
The launch can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn and other Committee Members will be in attendance and available for questions following the launch. Copies of the report will be available at the launch and it will be published on www.oireachtas.ie shortly afterwards.
To arrange for accreditation for the event or for further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee Membership
Deputies:
Richard Boyd-Barrett, Independent
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Michael Healy-Rae, Independent
Seamus Kirk, Fianna Fáil
Michael P. Kitt, Fianna Fáil
Pádraig MacLochlainn (Chairman), Sinn Féin
Helen McEntee, Fine Gael
Michelle Mulherin, Fine Gael
Derek Nolan (Vice-Chair), Labour
Patrick O'Donovan, Fine Gael
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Sean Kenny, Labour
John Halligan, Independent
Jack Wall, Labour
Senators:
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Sinn Féin
Jimmy Harte, Labour
Tony Mulcahy, Fine Gael
Susan O’Keeffe, Labour
Ned O'Sullivan, Fianna Fáil