The Working Group on Direct Provision and the Protection Process has published its final report to the Irish Government, issuing a number of recommendations that highlight no person should be in the system for five years or more.
The report is the first assessment of the Direct Provision system since it was established 15 years ago. It has yielded over 170 recommendations for consideration by the Government, which are outlined in the report under the headings: existing determination process, living conditions in Direct Provision accommodation centres and supports for persons in the system. Some of the recommendations made by the group include:
The Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, has recognised that it “is clear from reading this Report that the successful implementation of key recommendations is dependent on the early enactment of the International Protection Bill”. The heads of the new Bill were published earlier this year and will introduce a new streamlined and more effective single procedure for those applying for protection status.
The report has received mixed reaction from those working in the field, with some advocates calling for its swift implementation, while others describing it as a missed opportunity for deeper reform. Criticism lies in caveats that qualify recommendations ‘subject to contractual obligations’ and confine implementation to ‘in so far as reasonably practicable’.
Click here to read the Press Release.
Click here for the Working Group Report.