Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2019
246. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers who have died in each of the years 2003 to 2018 and to date in 2019, while being provided with accommodation by the RIA in direct provision centres by location. [10901/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of the Department of Justice & Equality has no official role in the collation of statistics on deaths of asylum seekers living in State Provided Accommodation. All records of deaths in Ireland are held in the General Register Office, which is the central civil repository for records relating to Births, Marriages and Deaths in Ireland.
Protection applicants access health services in the same way as Irish citizens - through the GP, primary care and hospital system. RIA has no role in the provision of these services. The details of a protection applicant’s medical condition is a confidential matter between the patient and his or her medical practitioner.
In most cases, the deaths of residents occur in hospitals. Where information may be provided to centre managers by residents or friends of the deceased, it indicates that the causes of deaths ranged from cancer, heart conditions, traffic accidents to suspected cot deaths. Such information is based on informal information and is not an official record of death.
Not all persons in the protection process accept the offer of State provided accommodation which is made when they apply for international protection. In circumstances where an applicant chooses not to accept such accommodation, my Department has no knowledge of the health of such persons.
Where a person dies while they are being provided with accommodation by RIA, RIA will work closely with the centre manager to assist the family in accessing the supports provided by the State, and to ensure that any residents affected by the death are assisted in accessing services that can support them.
