Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Direct Provision System

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020

Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Ceisteanna (409)

Michael McGrath

Ceist:

409. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the arrangements that have been put in place to protect persons staying in direct provision centres in the context of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5115/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I can inform the Deputy that intensive work has been underway in the Department since the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis to ensure that, to the best of our ability, we protect the health and welfare of asylum seekers and refugees availing of our accommodation services.

In all measures we are taking, we are guided by the HSE and the National Public Health Emergency Team. We are working in particular with the HSE National Social Inclusion team and following all its advice. Our centre managers are working closely with the Department, the HSE and residents to ensure that centres are safe and that guidelines on social distancing are observed.

The direction from the HSE National Social Inclusion Office is that, during the COVID crisis, non-family members sharing a room in Direct Provision centres are considered to be a household. As such, they should implement social distancing measures from other households, i.e. residents in other rooms, and self-isolate if displaying symptoms or if directed by the HSE. In such instances, we provide facilities for self-isolation both on and off-site.

We are carefully following the guidelines for our centres that have been published by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre. These are publicly available at: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/vulnerablegroupsguidance/COVID-19-Guidance-for-vulnerable-groups-settings.pdf.

That guidance exists precisely because it is recognised that congregated settings such as Direct Provision centres present specific challenges in this pandemic.

We are doing everything that we can to protect the health and welfare of our residents and centre staff, as well as that of the wider community. We are working closely with the HSE in doing so, and while the HSE advice has evolved over time, we have been assured by both it and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer that our approach is appropriate.

Shared bedrooms and communal living space are provided in numerous settings. Similar arrangements apply in homeless and disability services and, indeed, in private rented accommodation.

The established procedure across all centres where a person is suspected of having the virus or is confirmed as having the virus, is that, where advised by Public Health, they are moved to a dedicated offsite self-isolation facility. Supports are available for the duration of their period of isolation until such time as the HSE considers that they can safely return to their centre. We have opened four dedicated self-isolation facilities (with capacity for 299 people) in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Dundalk. Residents in these facilities have their own bedroom and their own bathroom.

Since the start of the year over 1,550 permanent and temporary Direct Provision bed spaces have been procured, including the dedicated new centres opened in Rosslare Harbour, Cahersiveen and Tullamore.

We have relocated over 600 residents to support social and physical distancing in centres and cocooning measures for the most vulnerable. By doing this, we have ensured that no more than three single people are sharing a room in any centre. We intend to continue this policy when the crisis is over.

The vast majority of the rooms in the new accommodation being used to support social and physical distancing are twin rooms accommodating two people. If any person is being accommodated in these locations based on an identified vulnerability (age or medical condition), they have their own bedroom and their own bathroom to facilitate their cocooning.

We have cocooned all residents over the age of 65 and anyone advised to the Department as having a serious medical illness.

During this time, centre managers have also been advised to increase the standard and frequency of cleaning throughout the centres, paying particular attention to communal areas. A regular supply of hand sanitiser for all centres is in place and this is distributed to centres as needed.

In partnership with the HSE and Safetynet, we have also put in place a national clinical telephone service to provide public health advice to support centre staff. This service will also be used to advise, support and work with those locations where vulnerable groups are present in respect of the implementation of COVID-19 guidelines and measures.

We are communicating directly with centre managers and residents via regular newsletters, which can also be found on our website www.accommodationcentres.ie. The newsletters have provided practical information on implementing social and physical distancing at this time and promoted shared learning and best practice across our network of centres. Residents have also been made aware of the need for good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette. Information and posters have been distributed to all centres and translations of public health information have also been provided. With Ramadan underway, we have also prepared and circulated information for centre managers and residents with practical supports on observing Ramadan during the current COVID restrictions.

The website also includes information for healthcare workers on the HSE's National Guidance Document on Temporary Accommodation for Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 crisis. Healthcare workers living in Direct Provision are eligible to apply for accommodation under the scheme via a referral form to the HSE. We are encouraging all healthcare workers living in our centres to apply for this temporary accommodation for their protection and that of other centre residents and staff. We have also asked the NGO community to support this initiative and to help to bring it to the attention of residents through their support networks.

My Department, the HSE and centre managers will continue to work closely together during this time to protect the health and safety of all residents and staff as a priority.

Barr
Roinn