Report of the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protection Process

Minister McEntee and Minister O’Gorman publish the report by the Advisory Group on Direct Provision and announce a reduction in the waiting period for international protection applicants to access work.

The recommendations of the Advisory Group will now be assessed by the relevant Ministers and their departments. The Group’s report will inform the development of a White Paper to be published by the end of the year, outlining options for a replacement to the Direct Provision system.

The government has also approved revised arrangements for international protection applicants to access work including the reduction in the waiting period from 9 months to 6 months from the date of first application for international protection.

The Advisory Group was established in October 2019 and chaired by Dr Catherine Day, former Secretary General of the European Commission, and had the following role:

• to advise on the development of a long-term approach to the provision of supports including accommodation to persons in the international protection process
• to identify good practice in European countries in the provision of supports to persons within the international protection process, particularly dealing with variations in demand
• to set out a process for achieving the long-term approach to support persons in the international protection process

The full report is available below.