Oireachtas Committee on Covid-19 response
Direct Provision Centres

Deputy SG Buckley (D/Justice) delivers opening statement.

7% of residents relocated from mid March to enable social distancing. Maximum occupancy of rooms limited to 3 persons.

Visitors not permitted in Centres since 19 March. Communicates via newsletters on D/Justice website & virtual clinics have begun. Cleaning increased, PPE dispensed as required. Communal laundry visits, mealtimes staggered to allow social distancing.

Dozens of residents acting as carers.

Expert group chaired by Catherine Day is looking at trends in other countries. Interdepartmental group established & report prepared for new government.

Deputy Foley TD (FF) raises residents of Skellig Star DP Centre. 1)did HSE fail to inform D/Justice of positive covid case at Dublin based accommodation? 2)Why weren't they tested before transferred to Kerry? 3) Why transferred, during pandemic, to such unsuitable centre?

Re 1 & 2, at that point in time, this was an appropriate health care decision at this time.

Deputy Foley TD (FF): understands that it is up to operator to implement public health measures at DP Centres. Responsibility delegated by HSE & D/Justice to private operators. No oversight. Since 18 March, no deep clean has been undertaken despite 25 positive covid cases.

Deputy Foley TD (FF): M/Justice has refused to order an inspection. Orders Centre closure.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): request for correspondence prior 30 March. D/Justice adheres to HSE advice on testing. Re oversight, D/Justice is responsible. Normally, 3 unannounced inspections per year. Difficult given no. of Centres & pandemic.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): did not have time to do what is normally done. Regular interactions with Centre manager. satisfied with how Centre is run at present.

Pa Daly TD (SF) requests on skillset of staff employed at DP Centre in Cahersiveen & whether they were garda vetted.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): DP Centre manager resigned but new manager in place. Last Wed, D/Justice became aware that some staff hadn't been vetted. This is employer's obligation. As of Mon, all have been vetted.

Deputy Daly TD (SF): minimum standards of Privacy, dignity & safety should be protected. Child-friendly spaces, specialised training of staff, isolated areas unsuitable.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): have to go with what is offered under current model. Not happy with it. Justice official used Procurement framework.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): turned down offer by local family. Would seek to accommodate under HAP scheme.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): contract signed 16 March. First residents arrived on 18 March. Did not have time with local community. Accelerated process in circumstances.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): 84 centres at present.

HSE (Dr Kelleher): will clarify figures put forward by Deputy Carroll MacNeill TD (FG) re residents & staff.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): re communication. new team of staff within D/Justice established, rang all centre managers. centre newsletters in numerous languages circulated, podcast broadcasts on phones by centres.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): have been v reliant on HSE. Have written to HSE to review services available to vulnerable persons. Will share letter with the committee.

HSE (Ms McArdle): robust & integrated engagement between HSE & D/Justice.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): 773 have presented for international protection, seeking to access accommodation services. Have not stop asylum applications but have stopped access to Justice buildings. Process is largely paper based so building restrictions have had an impact.

HSE (Ms McArdle) : HSE does not inspect buildings.

Duncan Smith TD(Labour) raises prospect of fast tracking process or amnesty to empower asylum seekers to contribute to Irish life.

Deputy Murphy TD (SocDems): M/Justice first found out when contacted by my office. When did HSE know about positive case in Swords travel lodge hotel? Why this knowledge was not communicated to D/Justice?

Deputy Murphy TD (SocDems) asked whether another group was moved from a hostel to Dublin Swords travel lodge. DSG Buckley will revert.

Deputy Murphy TD (SocDems): what is the chain of command re moving people between centres in a pandemic.

Deputy Murphy TD (SocDems) dissatisfied with D/Justice Official's response and requests follow up in writing.

Bríd Smith TD (S-PBP) draws committee's attention to MASI submission.

Bríd Smith TD (S-PBP): social distancing in communal areas (toilets, canteens) were not possible.

Bríd Smith TD (S-PBP):centres are completely inadequate. This crisis has exposed horrors of direct provision in a very sharp way.

Bríd Smith TD (S-PBP) raises communication sent to all residents & queries who was the author of this communication.

Deputy Shanahan TD (Independent) queries whether there could be an analysis of the duration of the asylum seeking process. Raises particular vulnerability of asylum seekers from certain regions in terms of contracting covid-19.

D/Justice Official: Average processing time 15 months for first instance decision. Aim is to reduce to 9 months. Face to face interview is legal requirement. Looking at resuming via video conference. Catherine Day chaired advisory group will be examining how to accelerate process

Michael Collins TD (Independent): what planning is underway to ensure that residents can adhere to social distancing guidelines.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): expecting Catherine Day chaired group report in September on other options.

Thomas Pringle TD asks why all asylum seekers have not been tested. DP Centres are congregated settings like nursing homes. Queried whether all healthcare staff have been moved out of centres.

Thomas Pringle TD queries use of the JRS helpline. DSG Buckley (D/Justice): 11 calls to date. Application process not affected by calls.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice): appropriate solutions have been put in place for over 65s & vulnerable persons.

DSG Buckley (D/Justice) confirms that, in some instances, self-catering facilities have been closed for health reasons.

Deputy Donnelly TD (FF) raises issue of education provision in DP Centres. Requests that schoolchildren facilitated re access to online learning.

DSG Buckley will revert to Deputy Carthy with the amount paid to private operators. Stated that budget has been exceeded.

Deputy Carthy TD (SF) asks whether Catherine Day report will examine ending private operation of DPCs.

John McGuinness TD (FF): this house has failed in relation to care policy. Witnesses operating in silos. Humanity & compassion should guide care policy.

Meeting adjourned until Tues, 2 June. Committee will examine use of private hospitals & travel restrictions.