The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has welcomed a report published yesterday (21 October) which recommended that the current direct provision system be replaced by mid-2023.

The report was written by an advisory group headed by former European Commission Secretary General Dr Catherine Day.

The commission said the report had brought forward fresh thinking, adding that it would engage with the Government on its forthcoming White Paper on the issue.

Discriminatory practices

Chief Commissioner Sinéad Gibney (pictured) said the report must mark a clear change of direction, which needs to be reflected in the White Paper.

The human rights group also welcomed an announcement that the Minister for Transport would bring forward legislation before the end of the year to give asylum-seekers access to driving licences.

“The commission is clear that this legislation must decisively remedy current discriminatory practices, which are a bar to people securing employment,” it said.

IHREC expressed concern, however, that people would still have to secure driving licences through legal challenges while this legislation was being drafted and enacted. The body said it had recently provided legal representation to two separate asylum-seekers in successful challenges against the state on the issue.

Bank accounts

Ms Gibney said the commission hoped the new commitment on driving licences marked a change of approach from the Government.

IHREC has also called on the banks to act to change the practice of asylum-seekers being excluded from accessing bank accounts. It believes this represents a further barrier to employment.

IHREC welcomed a commitment to begin a formal system of vulnerability assessments of asylum-seekers from December.