Jennifer Whitmore TD, Social Democrats spokesperson for Children, has welcomed the publication of an expert advisory group\u2019s report on reforming Ireland\u2019s direct provision system.<\/p>\n
Deputy Whitmore said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advisory group, which is led by former Secretary General of the European Commission,\u00a0Dr Catherine Day, has sent a list of recommendations to the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Minister for Children, Disabilities, Equality and Integration Roderic O\u2019Gorman.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe report outlines a series of critiques of the current direct provision system and recommends a way to transition to a new approach that respects the needs and dignity of asylum seekers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt also suggests a permanent system to determine international protection applications within fixed time limits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is in line with what the Social Democrats have been calling for. The Government should work to replace direct provision with a humane asylum system which makes timely decisions on people\u2019s applications for refugee status.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advisory group\u2019s report correctly highlights the links between the time taken to process international protection applications and the time spent by applicants in direct provision centres.<\/p>\n
\u201cI fully agree with the report\u2019s conclusion that a system which places applicants for long periods of time in segregated, congregated accommodation \u2013 with little privacy or scope for normal family life \u2013 is not fit for purpose. Such arrangements are particularly risky in the context of Covid-19 and it is not surprising that direct provision settings have been linked with numerous clusters.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is our party\u2019s policy to end direct provision in Ireland and we will be calling on the Government to implement the recommendations in this report without delay.”<\/p>\n
October 21, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jennifer Whitmore TD, Social Democrats spokesperson for Children, has welcomed the publication of an expert advisory group\u2019s report on reforming Ireland\u2019s direct provision system. Deputy Whitmore said: \u201cThe advisory group, which is led by former Secretary General of the European Commission,\u00a0Dr Catherine Day, has sent a list of recommendations to the Minister for Justice Helen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1192,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[268,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jennifer-whitmore","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n