Direct provision ‘should end by 2023’

The direct provision system should be phased out, starting in less than three years, according to a new report for the Irish government.

A three-tier arrangement should replace direct provision (DP), with people having their own private accommodation at the second level.

Groups which contributed to the report were the Movement for Asylum-Seekers in Ireland (MASI), the Irish Refugee Council, Nasc, and an advisory group chaired by Dr Catherine Day, former Secretary-General of the European Commission.

It makes extensive recommendations for the reform of the Direct Provision system. Among these are:

• Direct Provision system to end by mid-2023
• Any person who has been living in DP for more than two years be granted leave-to-remain for a period of five years
• Own-door accommodation at stage two
• Increasing access to labour market
• Binding targets for decisions: six months for initial IPO assessment, further six months for appeal, if necessary

This report will now go towards the formation of a government White Paper, due to be published in January 2021. For more information see: https://jrnl.ie/5238573 or read the full story from the Irish Examiner newspaper.