Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020
249. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to open additional direct provision centres in the country; and the planned geographical location of such centres. [40885/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy may be aware that I announced last week that a new accommodation centre will open in Letterkenny in January 2021. The accommodation consists of 60 apartments of 2 and 3 bedroom self-contained units, enabling residents to have own door accommodation.
The accommodation centre will initially become home for families who have been identified to move from existing emergency accommodation centres to the new centre.
Premises are sourced either through a full tender process which is administered through the Government’s Procurement Portal www.etenders.gov.ie or through responses to calls for expressions of interest, which are advertised in the national media. My Department is assisted with these tender projects by the Office of Government Procurement.
The tender process which commenced in late 2018, saw regional tender competitions being advertised, assessed and awarded. The competitions were held for the South East, Midlands, Mid-West, South-West, Mid-East, West, Dublin and the Border Regions.
All properties selected under the tender process must be able to meet the requirements of the National Standards for accommodation centres. Any tender for the provision of accommodation centre services must demonstrate that it will meet the requirements of the Standards. This requirement applies to the provision of new centres and to any renewal of a contract with a current provider.
The forthcoming White Paper of the future direction of the Direct Provision System will inform the type of accommodation that the Department will contract from 2021 onwards.
