A three-person group has been appointed to monitor the implementation of the White Paper on ending direct provision that was published earlier this year.

According to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the group will “monitor progress and provide advice on the implementation process”. Its reports will be made public.

The White Paper, which set a target of closing all existing direct-provision centres by 2024, included a commitment to set up an external advisory group to oversee the process.

Independent assessment

The group’s members are:

• Dr Catherine Day (former Secretary General of the European Commission, and chair of the advisory group on international protection, pictured),
• Dr David Donoghue (retired diplomat and former Ambassador to the United Nations), and
• Dr Lorcan Sirr (housing policy expert).

Minister Roderic O’Gorman said the group would draw up periodic reports on how the reforms were progressing, and would highlight any concerns.

“This will provide stakeholders and the public with an independent assessment of the reform process,” he said.

Accommodation

The Law Society recently highlighted a number of deficiencies in the current system that needed to be taken into account when devising the new system, and made a number of recommendations.

The minister said that his department was working with the Housing Agency to acquire the accommodation that would be needed for the new system.

“We have also begun to draw up the integration and support programme that will enable international-protection applicants to live independently in the community after their initial four-month orientation programme,” he added.