New Covid-19 guidance not workable in direct provision, says Amnesty
Pressure is growing on the government to increase measures in direct provision centres to protest residents as the number of Covid-19 cases grows.
The Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has written to justice minister Helen McEntee to voice "ongoing concerns" about the ability of residents to protect themselves, while Amnesty International Ireland say Covid-19 guidance is unworkable in direct provision centres.
IHREC has asked the minister to "set out measures being taken to protect the health and wellbeing of residents and to address concerns being raised by residents and civil society organisations about the inability of those in shared accommodation to effectively self-isolate."
The pandemic, the Commission said, highlighted the “urgent need” for a new approach and that direct provision should be ‘phased out’ and replaced by an alternative model.
Amnesty International Ireland said it is “unacceptable” that concerns about direct provision had yet to be addressed despite repeated calls by several organisations since March.
It is “indefensible” the government had failed to act or provide an effective response, Amnesty Executive Directive Colm O’Gorman told the .
The new guidance issued this week that no more than six people from three separate households congregate in a private house is unworkable in direct provision, he added.
“In direct provision you have multiples of that number living in congregated settings where they are not able to practice basic social distancing. It’s entirely unacceptable at this point that these concerns still exist in relation to direct provision,” Mr O’Gorman said.
Meanwhile, the HSE has confirmed that serial Covid-19 testing at direct provision centres is being planned and will “commence shortly”, but did not provide a date.
The National Publish Health Emergency Team recommended that serial testing be rolled out for at-risk vulnerable groups in congregated settings on August 4 and, this week, reiterated the “urgency” of increasing testing among vulnerable high-risk populations and high-risk workplaces.
The HSE also confirmed that serial Covid-19 testing will begin at meat plants in counties Kildare, Laois, and Offaly this week, and that a “large and complex logistical exercise” to roll out testing to “large scale food processing settings” nationwide is underway.
