The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald,
T.D., and the Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration,
David Stanton, T.D., have announced further significant progress in
implementing the recommendations of the McMahon Report.
92% of the Report’s 173 recommendations are now implemented, partially
implemented or are in progress. This is a significant increase on the 80%
reported in the first audit of progress published last June. The process of
implementation will continue.
Noting that some 121 of the recommendations are now implemented, with a
further 38 recommendations partially implemented or in progress, the
Tánaiste said:
“I gave a clear commitment last June when Minister Stanton and I published
the first audit of progress to coincide with the anniversary of the
Report’s publication that the process of implementation would continue. I
am especially pleased that the key recommendation of the Working Group, the
introduction of a single application procedure within our international
protection process, has been implemented, following commencement of the
International Protection Act, 2015 on 31st December”.
Under the single procedure, an applicant will make one application, and
will have all grounds for seeking international protection and to be
permitted to remain in the State examined and determined in one process.
This will positively address another key recommendation of the Working
Group, the length of time which applicants spend in the process and
consequently in the Direct Provision system.
The Tánaiste also confirmed that legal issues around the extension of the
remit of the Offices of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children to
include access for residents in Direct Provision centres have now been
clarified. “I am delighted that discussions between my Department
officials, other relevant Government Departments and the Office of the
Attorney General have reached a stage where we can now give effect to this
recommendation”.
The McMahon report also focused on improvements on living conditions in
Direct Provision Centres. In that regard a programme of independent living
is being rolled out across the centres to enable residents to have access
to self-catering options. Self-catering is now in operation in Mosney with
further kitchens installed and becoming available for use by residents in
centres in Clonakilty, Kinsale Road, Knocklisheen and St Patrick’s in
Monaghan. In addition a food hall was opened at Mosney in January this year
which allows residents to acquire their own food through a points system.
Variants of this system will be rolled out to other centres such as Athlone
.
The Tánaiste also pointed to the significant improvements that have been
made in dealing with legacy cases within the system. A recent analysis
within the Department confirms the significant improvements in the length
of time spent in the system. When the Working Group examined the figures in
2015 there were 2,695 people in Direct Provision for 3 or more years. This
has now been reduced by 55% to 1,204 people.
Similarly the number of people in the direct provision system for 5 years
or more reduced by 58% from 1,946 persons to 811. Of these, only 251 are
awaiting a final decision on their protection application and the vast
majority of these cannot be processed for various reasons such as pending
judicial review proceedings. This means that, in effect, almost all cases
in the direct provision system over 5 years that can be processed have
been.
Acknowledging the support of a range of other Government Departments and
Agencies in preparing the report, Minister Stanton said:
“Today’s report highlights the efforts which are being made across a number
of Departments and Agencies to give effect to the Working Group’s
recommendations. Within my own area, I am particularly encouraged by the
very positive progress which the report outlines on the actions being taken
to improve the daily lives and the living conditions of applicants and
their families within the Direct Provision system. This is in line with our
commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to reform the
Direct Provision system. I am committed to ensuring that this important
work will continue during the year.”
The Tánaiste and Minister Stanton both identified the introduction on an
independent living system in Mosney as a key enhancement to the services
being provided to those in the protection system. Building on the success
of this project, this will be rolled out to other centres during the course
of 2017 and beyond.
It is expected that information will immediately be made available by both
the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children to residents in all
accommodation centres.
The second audit of progress can be found in the attached document below
and will be available on the Department website at www.justice.ie
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
* The Report of the Working Group to Report to Government on Improvements
to the Protection Process and Supports to Asylum Seekers contains a total
of 173 recommendations, many of which have implications for a number of
Government Departments and services. The Report was published in June 2015.
* The first audit of progress published last June on the Department’s
website showed that 91 of the recommendations were implemented, with a
further 49 recommendations partially implemented or in progress. This
represented significant progress on some 80% of the Working Group’s
recommendations.
* The second audit of progress being published today covers the period from
June 2016 to the end of January. This shows that 92% of the recommendations
have been implemented (121 recommendations), partially implemented or are
in progress (38 recommendations), a substantial increase on the figure
published last June.
* The International Protection Act, 2015 was fully commenced on 31st
December. Under the single procedure, an applicant will make one
application, and will have all grounds for seeking international protection
and to be permitted to remain in the State examined and determined in one
process. The single procedure has replaced the multi-layered and sequential
protection application system under the Refugee Act, 1996, which has been
repealed.
See attached file: WG Report - 2nd Progress Table 2017.pdf