Government advised time to act is now on key Working Group recommendations

Tuesday, 21st July 2015

A new website tracking the Governments implementation of the Report of the Working Group on the
Protection Process, including Direct Provision, is launched today. Timetoact.ie is an initiative by the
undersigned members of the Working Group which was tasked with examining improvements to the
current system. The initiative calls for the immediate implementation of certain key recommendations
from the 173 recommendation contained in the report.
The report of the Working Group will not serve its purpose and improve the protection process or
enable asylum seekers to live with greater dignity if it is not implemented said Eugene Quinn,
National Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service Ireland. We are calling on the Irish Government to
act now and honour their promise to introduce a number of key recommendations by the end of July.
The organisations welcomed a recent announcement by the Department of Education to improve
access to third level education for children in the system. They also welcomed the Department of
Healths decision to exempt asylum seekers from prescription charges. However disappointment was
expressed at the lack of any movement on the recommendations in the Justice sphere addressing the
length of time issue, which is the primary concern articulated by Direct Provision residents and a
principal reason for the establishment of the Working Group in October last year.
Mr. Stephen Nganga, Coordinator, Core Group of Asylum Seekers, emphasised that 4,300 asylum
seekers residing in Irelands 34 Direct Provision centres are watching eagerly for the
recommendations to be implemented:
Many of us have been living in limbo with our lives on hold in Direct Provision for too long. The
solution recommended for persons who have been in the system for more than five years will assist
many to finally exit the system. All that is required is the political courage to act.
3,350 people should benefit from the implementation of this recommendation, 1,480 of whom reside
in Direct Provision, including 500 children.
Another key recommendation the Group is calling to be acted upon immediately is to increase the
weekly Direct Provision allowance for children and adults for the first time since it was introduced 15
years ago. Ms. Tanya Ward, Chief Executive, Childrens Rights Alliance, said:
Concerns about the impact of long periods of time spent in Direct Provision on children have
consistently been voiced nationally by the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Geoffrey Shannon,
and by international human rights bodies. Implementing key Working Group recommendations now
can lead to real change and improve the quality and dignity of these vulnerable childrens lives.
The Working Group Report provides a roadmap for fundamental and long overdue reform of the
Protection Process and the Direct Provision system The recommendations set out in the Report were
agreed to by a consensus of all Members of the Working Group including: the Department of Justice
and Equality, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of the Environment,
Community and Local Government, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Children
and Youth Affairs, the Department of Education and Skills, TUSLA, the HSE and the Office of the
Attorney General. Over 300 residents of Direct Provision, including children, shared their views and
ideas with Working Group during an extensive consultation process which included visits to Direct
Provision centres around the country. The Working Group recommendations directly address the
serious concerns raised by the residents.

[Notes for editors]

1) For further information, please contact:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Stephen Nganga (Coordinator, Core Group of Asylum Seekers) at 087-2491969

Tanya Ward (CEO, Childrens Rights Alliance) at 087-6531069
Eugene Quinn (National Director, JRS Ireland) at 086-8214888
Jennifer deWaan (Communications and Community Coordinator, Nasc) at 0860501507
e. Greg Straton (Executive Director, SPIRASI) at 087-6984273
2) Timetoact.ie is a joint initiative of the Core Group of Asylum Seekers, Childrens Rights
Alliance, JRS Ireland, Nasc, SPIRASI with the support of UNHCR, all of whom were
members of the Working Group.
The following organisations endorse the calls made on Timetoact.ie
Core Group of Asylum Seekers
Childrens Rights Alliance
JRS Ireland
Nasc
SPIRASI
UNHCR