Roundtable on Direct Provision

JRS Ireland has been invited to participate in a roundtable consultation with the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, and the Minister of State for New Communities, Culture and Equality, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

Joining other members from the Forum on Direct Provision - which seeks to positively influence Government policy through dialogue and debate - JRS Ireland National Director, Eugene Quinn, will attend.

The consultation will take place on Thursday 18th September.

JRS Ireland welcomes the opportunity to engage directly with the Department of justice and share our analysis of the asylum and immigration system, in the hope that durable solutions can be found for asylum seekers living long term in Direct Provision.

The roundtable consultation also offers a unique opportunity to ensure that the Government's proposed Working Group on Direct Provision is given an appropriate mandate.  

While encouraging statements have been issued by Minister Fitzgerald and Minister Ó Ríordáin, it is crucial that the Working Group's remit extends beyond a review of living conditions and seeks to address the biggest single issue facing asylum seekers, which is the excessive length of time spent awaiting a final determination of their claim.