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Detention Centres for Asylum Applicants are on the Way

Metro Eireann, January 2008

By Chinedu Onyejelem

Detention centres will mean quicker processing of asylum claims, the Department of Justice has said. Responding to questions on plans to introduce detention centres for some asylum seekers, a spokesperson told Metro Eireann: “The department is looking very seriously at bringing forward proposals, including legislative elements, for detaining certain selected protection applicants with a view to processing their claims quickly and efficiently to finality.

“Processing certain categories of protection applicants in a closed centre with all the necessary services on site – first-instance decision, appeal, legal services and interpretation as well as accommodation and other supports – will mean speedier decision making and, of course, the faster integration of genuine refugees into our society.”

The spokesperson continued: “For those applications which, after a fair and speedy consideration, turn out to be without foundation, as in the region of some 90 per cent do, the removal from the State of the applicants will happen as soon as possible thereafter.” No timeframe was given for the introduction of detention centres.

Asylum applicants who are not detained in the proposed detention centres will continue to live in direct provision accommodation. As of this month, 51 direct provision centres and nine self-catering centres are in operation throughout the country, at a cost of millions of euro annually.

The department said the outturn for the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), which oversees the management of the centres, was 78m euro in 2006, the bulk of which was spent on accommodation for asylum seekers.

In recent years, there have been numerous protests by residents of various centres over food and safety issues, which in some cases have involved residents going on hunger strikes. However, the department maintains that conditions at these centres have been generally good for the residents.

“The RIA places the safety, security and comfort of its residents as its highest priority,” said the Department of Justice spokesperson. “All contractors are required to operate accommodation centres in accordance with all statutory requirements of local authorities and other agencies, as well as operate within the boundaries of the comprehensive Memorandum of Agreement.”

The spokesperson added: “In terms of safety and security, all accommodation centres are obliged to comply with fire safety regulations, and regular inspections by both RIA staff and an independent inspectorate ensure that these are in place.

“Centres are expected to operate a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) system, and are inspected by the environmental health officers in addition to inspections arranged by the RIA. All family centres have also implemented a child protection programme, based on the ‘Children First’ principles.

“In terms of food at accommodation centres, the RIA places particular emphasis on meeting the dietary needs of residents. Menu cycles are in place at all accommodation centres. Residents are encouraged to discuss menus and recipes with management and as far as possible menus contain a variety of ethnic dishes. Residents with prescribed dietary needs are of course facilitated.

“In partnership with the HSE, the RIA has issued guidelines on infant feeding specifically targeting the promotion of good nutrition among families in direct provision. In addition, centres are encouraged and supported by the RIA in promoting healthy eating among all resident groups.

“Given the large number of nationalities and diverse cultures accommodated in direct provision, issues inevitably arise from time to time. In such incidents the RIA, in partnership with centre management, staff and residents, will endeavour to resolve any issues which arise. Where a complaint or protest is due to an issue at a centre, RIA will take all reasonable steps to resolve the situation to everyone’s satisfaction.

“Occasionally protests may in fact stem from other issues, such as uncertainty over the future or other issues relating to the asylum process. In such cases, the RIA and centre management will meet with residents, listen to their concerns and try to find a way to ease the situation.” However, asylum seeker support groups in the State are strongly concerned that the operation of some centres falls short of international best practise.

According to the Nasc immigrant support centre in Cork: “Some of the direct provision accommodation centres which house asylum seekers have improved there are still many difficulties being experienced by residents including problems with how the centres are managed, complaints procedures, diet, privacy, transfers and a feeling of being in detention in some cases.”

The Department of Justice said all services providers engaged by the RIA to operate centres are required under a comprehensive Memorandum of Agreement to ensure that the centres comply and operate with all statutory requirements of local authorities and other agencies in relation to bedroom capacity, food and the provision of ethnic diets, food hygiene, water supply and safety. It also stated that the RIA regularly conducts unannounced comprehensive full-day and other informal inspections at each of the centres to ensure that agreed standards are being met.

According to the department, all asylum seekers on arrival in direct provision centres are provided with a copy of the Direct Provision Reception, Accommodation Centre Services, Rules and Procedures, which are available to them in different languages.

“The booklet explains the services available to all residents of centres, the house and fire safety rules which must be followed and the complaints procedure in place. It outlines in detail the procedure for making complaints regarding the provision of services and clarifies that complaints may be made directly to the RIA in exceptional circumstances,” the department said.