Clare Public Participation Network Submission to Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice & Equality – Direct Provision & The International Protection Process
Below, please find Clare Public Participation Network’s Submission for the consideration of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice & Equality in respect of Ireland’s system of reception and processing of claims for international protection and of the direct provision system currently in use.
Click here to read the submission: International Protection Submission Clare PPN
Clare PPN is a network of 287 community, voluntary, environmental and social inclusion groups based in County Clare. It exists to facilitate the formal participation by the community sector in Clare County Council’s decision making structures and in national and EU consultations where appropriate. It is funded jointly by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Clare County Council but is autonomous and its activities are directed by its members through an elected secretariat.
At Clare PPN’s plenary meetings which are the decision making fora for the network, delegates have on three successive occasions (twice in 2018 and again in 2019) adopted a position of opposition to the system of Direct Provision being used for those seeking international protection in Ireland. They have taken this position on the basis that direct provision is contrary to the best interests of all of those who are accommodated, in particular children and vulnerable adults and that the enforced segregation and dependency created within the system is detrimental to community cohesion and rural development. Our member groups include people seeking international protection in Ireland themselves, as well as organisations working directly with refugees & international protection applicants. Clare PPN itself has worked with international protection applicants from Knockalisheen and from The King Thomond Direct Provision Centres in Clare on numerous occasions and have benefitted from their input to our activities.
We welcome the opportunity to make this submission and hope that by lending our organisation’s voice and experience to this national issue that we can help the government realise the actions that need to be taken to end the system of direct provision which is currently in crisis and worsening.