Direct Provision

Nasc is a founder member of the NGO Forum on Direct Provision, a network of organisations committed to campaigning for changes to protect the health and welfare of asylum-seekers housed in residential institutions here.

This past week, a number of journalists have been making comparisons between the survivors of the Magdalene laundries and asylum-seeking children who are currently living in the Direct Provision system. Sparked by the written response to a parliamentary question by TD Maureen O Sullivan, questions are... Read more

528. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount paid by his Department to asylum centre firms for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter): The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA),... Read more

Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 487 of 12 February 2013, if he will provide details in tabular form of those persons living in direct provision 36 months and over by year they entered direct provision. Minister for Justice and Equality... Read more

Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the value of the individual contracts to providers of direct provision accommodation; and if these contracts were advertised and awarded as per the EU public procurement regulations. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy... Read more

Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons living in direct provision; if he will provide the details in tabular form by year they entered direct provision; and his plans if any to end housing of asylum seekers in direct provision hostels. Minister for Justice... Read more

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he visited Hatch Hall or any other direct provision centre last year, including the names of those centres; if he will state the purpose and outcome of each visit. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter): As... Read more

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has met with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs regarding the issue of separated children seeking asylum who are removed from Health Service Executive care at the age of 18 years at which point they enter accommodation... Read more

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to address the concerns set out in the recent Irish Refugee Council report on conditions in State-funded accommodation for those seeking asylum. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter): The Irish Refugee... Read more

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the measures in place to ensure the safety and welfare of children in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter): There are currently... Read more

Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his responsibilities in relation to children residing here in extreme poverty who are asylum seekers or the children of asylum seekers; if his attention has been drawn to the challenges faced by children who are living in direct provision,... Read more

Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been any movement in changing the way in which pending refugee applicants are being housed in Direct Provision Centres, which are often over crowded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Minister for Justice... Read more

Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the safe guards that have been put in place to protect children who are housed in direct provision centres whilst they and or their parent or legal guardian await their refugee application to be processed especially as many children... Read more

Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide, in tabular form, the total cost to the State per year for every year since it opened of the Towers Hotel direct provision hostel, Clondalkin, Dublin 22; the total number of adults and children resident at the hostel... Read more

Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has plans to revisit his plans to close a number of the direct provision centres for asylum seekers in view of the fact that the disruption this will have on the lives of those living in them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Minister... Read more

Nasc was pleased to aid Irish Examiner journalist Noel Baker in providing case studies and facilitating interviews for his excellent analysis of how the children’s rights referendum will impact families and children seeking asylum here in Ireland. Baker met with several asylum seekers in our offices... Read more

Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on whether it is acceptable for asylum seekers and their children to be housed in reception centres which lack adequate facilities for any meaningful recreational activity; if he accepts that it is imperative that children and... Read more

Deputy Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider postponing the closure of Lisbrook House, County Galway; if his attention has been drawn to the long term effects of closing this facility; his views on whether moving families to new locations will... Read more

Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on a report published by the Irish Refugee Council on 18 September 2012 which catalogues more than ten years of enforced child poverty, malnutrition and social exclusion caused by the system of direct provision; and if he will... Read more

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of accommodation centres closed by the Reception and Integration Agency since August 2012, and the decreased number of asylum seekers spaces taken out of the system as a result of the closures; and if he will make a statement... Read more

Deputy Michael McNamara (Lab) asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers that have died while living in direct provision centres over the past 12 years; the year in which each died; their respective ages at the time of their deaths and the respective cause of their deaths;... Read more