Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2017
163. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to implement the remaining recommendations made in the report of the working group on improvements to the protection process, including direct provision and other supports for asylum seekers; when it is expected that all the recommendations will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10313/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that, last Thursday, Minister of State Stanton and I published a report showing further significant progress in implementing the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process including Direct Provision and other supports for asylum seekers.
A total of 121 of the recommendations are now implemented, with a further 38 partially implemented or in progress. This means that 92% of the Report's 173 recommendations are now implemented, partially implemented or are in progress. This is a significant increase on the 80% reported in the first audit of progress published last June. I gave a clear commitment last June when Minister Stanton and I published the first audit of progress that the process of implementation would continue. I am especially pleased that the key recommendation of the Working Group, the introduction of a single application procedure within our international protection process, has been implemented, following commencement of the International Protection Act, 2015 on 31 December last.
Under the single procedure, an applicant will make one application, and will have all grounds for seeking international protection and to be permitted to remain in the State examined and determined in one process. This will positively address another key recommendation of the Working Group, the length of time which applicants spend in the process and consequently in the Direct Provision system.
I can also confirm that legal issues around the extension of the remit of the Offices of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children to include access for residents in Direct Provision centres have now been clarified. I am pleased to say we can now give effect to this recommendation and I expect that information will immediately be made available by both Offices to residents in all accommodation centres.
The latest audit report also highlights the many improvements in living conditions for applicants and their families in Direct Provision Centres including the introduction of an independent living system in Mosney which will be rolled out to other centres during the course of 2017 and beyond. These improvements are in line with our commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to reform the Direct Provision system.
Significant progress has also been made in dealing with those in the protection process for the longest time. When the Working Group examined the figures in 2015 there were 2,695 people in Direct Provision for 3 or more years. As of 1 January this year, this has been reduced by 55% to 1,204 people. The number of people in the system for 5 years or more has reduced by 58% from 1,946 to 811. Only 251 of these are awaiting a final decision on their protection application and the vast majority of these cannot be processed for various reasons such as pending judicial review proceedings. In effect, this means that almost all cases in the Direct Provision system for over five years that can be processed have been.
Details of progress on all of the 173 recommendations are available in the audit report which has been posted on my Department's website and on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service.
