Apology for 'isolated incident' which saw mother and sick child refused bread and milk at asylum centre
The Department of Justice has this evening acknowledged a "regrettable and isolated incident" in which staff at direct provision centre close to the Limerick Clare border refused to give a mother and ill child bread and milk because the centre’s canteen was closed for the night.
In the statement the Department said the private operators of the state-owned direct provision centre located at Knocknalisheen, Co Clare, would meet with the resident to apologise to her personally.
The statement this evening went on: "The contractor will meet with the resident to apologise to her personally. They will also arrange for the retraining of staff and ensure that communications between staff are clear and unambiguous.
"The Reception and Integration Agency contacted the contractor when it was made aware of the situation and asked them to investigate the matter. The contractor has since reverted to us to advise that this unfortunate, but isolated incident was a miscommunication between staff.
"Unfortunately a new staff member misunderstood a request and informed the night porter that no food was to be provided which led to this regrettable incident. The contractor will also ensure that tea/coffee and snacks are available on a 24/7 basis as per the contract."
The statement went on to say that Ministers in the Department of Justice and Equality have actively engaged in reform over the past number of years, constantly striving to improve the international protection process.
"The Department places paramount importance on the welfare of those residing in our accommodation centres. The Report of the Working Group to Report to Government on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and supports to Asylum Seekers, also known as the Justice McMahon report, was published in June 2015. The Report contains 173 recommendations many of which have implications for a number of Government Departments and services.
"The Department of Justice and Equality has since published three progress reports on the implementation of the Report's 173 recommendations, the first in June 2016, the second in February 2017 and a third and final report in July 2017. The final progress report shows that 133 of the recommendations have been reported as fully implemented and a further 36 are in progress or partially implemented. This represents a 98% full or partial implementation.
"Any alleged violations of any nature should be reported to RIA or the Minister or the Ombudsman or the Ombudsman for children.
"Knockalisheen is owned by the State and is operated and managed by Aramark who were successful in an open procurement process which was completed in 2017. The centre was opened in 2001 and there are 249 persons resident there at the moment," the statement concluded.
The woman and her children are awaiting a decision on an application for asylum in Ireland.
The Knocknalisheen centre is one of 32 centres under the accommodation portfolio of the Department of Justice Reception and Integration Agency.
“Knocknalisheen centre has hit rock bottom if the needs of a child don't matter anymore,” the woman claimed, in an online post via her Facebook page.
“In a centre that has no self-catering facilities, the least you can do is allow people/parents access to the most basic items...What does a mother do in such a situation?” she wrote.
She stated: “It’s 1.07am, I have a sick child in the room. He has tummy ache, diarrhoea has vomited a couple of times already. In an attempt to help him keep his strength up I’ve asked a friend to accompany me to the canteen to ask for some bread and milk so I can give him.”
The woman claimed staff “refused to give me even one slice of bread despite explaining the situation to them.”
“They have notified me that the centre management has given strict instruction not to give any food items tea, coffee, milk, bread, sugar etc outside of canteen hours!
“After pleading with them that this is an exceptional case they told me to wait until 7am to speak to management.” “One of them said to me I should give the child WATER because he doesn’t make the rules; that's the end of it.”
“So I’m sitting here feeling helpless,” the woman wrote.
“If I ask a friend/relative/partner to drive to knocknalisheen to bring me provisions that person will not be allowed in because its outside of visiting hours so this is clearly not an option, (yes, I am speaking from experience).”
Many sent the resident in question messages of support on her facebook page.
One woman wrote: “This is just horrific. Hope he is doing ok today x.”
Another wrote: “This is an absolute disgrace!!!”
In a later post, the female resident thanked those who had written her messages of support: “Thank you so much for all your support, I really appreciate all of you.”
She said her son “is much better now”.
He was “back on his feet (must have been the ol irish 7up remedy),” she joked.
Communications officer at migrant rights organisation, Monika Fallon said she could not comment specifically on the woman’s situation, however she said similar concerns had been raised by others living in direct provision system.
“We strongly feel a system that puts the well being of children at risk needs to be evaluated,” Ms Fallon added.
The Knocknalisheen Centre directed a request for comment to the Department of Justice.
