Press Releases

Published date: 05 Mar 2025

HIQA Review Points to Governance and Safeguarding Cracks in the International Protection System

Children’s Rights Alliance raise serious concerns as the inspectorate does not have eyes on the over 7,000 children in the system living in emergency-style accommodation

The Report published today (05.03.2025) by the Health and Information Quality Authority (HIQA) details the monitoring and inspection work HIQA carried out in 51 International Protection Accommodation Service Centres under their remit in 2024.

Speaking in response to the Report’s findings, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance, Tanya Ward stated:
“HIQA plays a vital role in in shining a spotlight on the safety and welfare of children and young people living in international protection accommodation centres contracted by the State. The quality of their inspection and monitoring practices are the reason we welcomed their appointment as inspectorate. Having HIQA in place means we have eyes on the system that is tasked with taking care of some of the most vulnerable children and families in the country. The extensive and comprehensive review published today demonstrates the value of having them to hold the state accountable to baseline standards that should be in place. However, it is also a timely reminder of the limits of their powers. While 51 centres are kept to standards, most children in the system are living in emergency-style accommodation that HIQA cannot inspect.”

“The National Standards outline the basic measures needed to ensure children are growing up in safe and suitable conditions with access to the right supports to meet their needs. All IPAS centres are tasked with upholding these standards but what is clear from this review, is that the system is falling below par. Less than half of the accommodation inspected was ‘own-door’ – the recommended accommodation for families to ensure they have their own private space,” continued Tanya Ward.

“Even more concerning are the shortfalls on governance and child safeguarding. We cannot normalise the fact that one in every three staff members are not properly vetted including frontline staff and even security staff. The lack of awareness and oversight has meant that child protection concerns are going unmanaged and unreported. This is completely unacceptable when we consider the particular risk and vulnerability of the children in these situations. HIQA also found that almost a third of service providers were not in compliance with the reasonable steps to protect children from abuse and neglect. The fact that HIQA is calling for urgent attention at a national and local level should be a wake-up call for the new Government.”

“The Inspection Reports are also an important reminder that when the standards are adhered to, it is well within the State’s power to provide accommodation that is safe, suitable and meets the needs of children, young people and families. Dídean Centre in Portlaoise, the Eglinton Centre in Galway and Birchwood House in Waterford have been identified in the most recent inspection report as models that uphold standards in this regard. Today’s review found the vast majority (92%) of the centres have implemented Children First guidance that is the bedrock of ensuring child protection and welfare is prioritised. It is also very positive to see that almost all centres offered self-catering so families can cook their own food as well as some form of play and recreation facilities that help create a more child-friendly environment for children who can spend years of their childhood in these centres. These children are at far greater risk of child poverty and social exclusion which have a detrimental impact on a child’s school life, social life and emotional wellbeing. Access to education supports, spaces to play and opportunities to make friends become all the more important as they help create the conditions for a happy childhood.”

“HIQA’s role in the monitoring and inspection of IPAS centres has been vitally important for the children, young people and families who are living in the International Protection system. These children and families have no choice but to trust the State to provide accommodation that is safe, can support their children’s education and their families’ needs. HIQA is in a prime position to raise the alarm when centres fail to meet the minimum standards and ensure there is urgency from both the centre and the State in terms of response. However, HIQA only have eyes on the 51 IPAS centres currently under their remit. Their reach is hampered by current Government policy and given that the majority of children in the International Protection system are living outside these centres, in emergency-style accommodation, should be of serious concern to all our political leaders,” said Tanya Ward.

“These emergency -style accommodation centres account for 86% of settings, providing 31,563 beds for people. They are not required to comply with the National Standards and are not monitored by HIQA. In the same 12-month timespan, the number of children living in these emergency style accommodation centres rose to 7,168. How can we trust that all emergency accommodation is suitable given they have no requirement at all to meet basic standards. The Government’s failure to deliver on their own promise to end Direct Provision has resulted in the creation of another institutional system which is far worse. To ensure that children and young people are not accommodated in conditions that are a threat to their health, safety and wellbeing, it is imperative that standards are introduced for these emergency-style centres and HIQA’s remit is expanded and resourced to extend the same level of oversight onto the international protection system as a whole.”

_ENDS_

Contact:
Robyn at [email protected] or 085 800 1275 /
Gillian at [email protected]

Notes to Editors:
• Children’s Rights Alliance spokespeople are available for comment.
• HIQA Monitoring and inspecting International Protection Accommodation Service Centres in 2024 report is available here.

About the Children’s Rights Alliance:
Founded in 1995, the Children’s Rights Alliance unites over 150 members working together to make Ireland one of the best places in the world to be a child. Further information is available at: www.childrensrights.ie or on Twitter, @ChildRightsIRL