Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020
41. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he will expand on the provision of funding for asylum seekers; the way in which this funding will address accommodation issues in the direct provision system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31351/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to have secured a total of €225 million in funding for International Protection Seekers Accommodation for the coming year.
The State has a legal and moral duty to provide accommodation and ancillary services to those persons who enter the state seeking international protection and who take up the offer of accommodation provided by the State.
The increased funding, €145 million over what was provided in 2020, will enable my Department to begin the process of implementing the Programme for Government commitment to end the Direct Provision system and to plan for the transition to an alternative model of provision. The process of moving to a new system will take time and is complex.
The change process will be set out in the White Paper on Direct Provision which is currently being prepared by my Department and which will be completed by the end of the year. The White Paper will be informed by the report of the advisory group chaired by Dr Catherine Day. That group's report was presented to Government today and will be published shortly.
The increased allocation provided for 2021 will also enable my Department to continue the programme of improvements to the current system, including the progressive implementation of national standards to ensure greater consistency in the quality of accommodation and services provided to persons in the Direct Provision system.
The short-term focus will be on reducing the number of people, particularly families, who are accommodated in emergency accommodation and on increasing the proportion of own-door or self-catering options available, particularly to families.
My Department will also continue to meet the challenges of Covid-19 in accommodation centres. These include the provision for self-isolation facilities in centres and offsite self-isolation, increased capacity to support physical and social distancing, the provision of PPE and of a free confidential support line for residents operated by the Jesuit Refugee Service and the cocooning of all medically vulnerable and over 65 residents, as appropriate.
