From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Mr. Roderic O’Gorman, T.D., today (23 September 2021) announced the appointment of a three-person independent group to monitor the implementation of the White Paper to End Direct Provision that the Minister published last February.
The group’s members are:
The commitment to establish an External Advisory Group to provide independent oversight of the reform process is contained in the White Paper. The Group will monitor progress and provide advice on the implementation process. Its reports will be made public.
Announcing the appointments, the Minister said:
“The External Advisory Group will play an important role in the reforms we are enacting to bring an end to Direct Provision and replace it with a new system grounded in human rights and respect for autonomy.
"The Group will independently monitor progress on the implementation of the new system. It will draw up periodic reports on how the reforms are progressing and will highlight any concerns. These reports will be published on my Department’s website. This will provide stakeholders and the public with an independent assessment of the reform process.
"Our work is well underway to bring an end to Direct Provision and replace it with a new system of support centred on human rights and delivered on a not-for-profit basis. The Programme Board charged with guiding the implementation of the reforms held its second meeting today (23 September 2021). My Department is working with the Housing Agency to acquire the accommodation that will be needed, and we have also begun to draw up the integration and support programme that will enable international protection applicants to live independently in the community after their initial four-month orientation programme.
"I would like to express my gratitude to Catherine Day, David Donoghue, and Lorcan Sirr for agreeing to give their time, energy and expertise to this important work. I look forward to engaging with them in the coming months as we work together to end Direct Provision.”
Accepting her appointment, Dr. Catherine Day said:
“I look forward to working with the External Advisory Group in supporting the implementation of the White Paper and helping to bring Direct Provision to an end as soon as possible.”
Dr. David Donoghue said:
"I am looking forward very much to the opportunity to support the implementation of the White Paper and to contribute to the practical realisation of its humane, far-sighted and rights-based vision.”
Dr. Lorcan Sirr said:
"I am delighted to be appointed to the External Advisory Group by Minister O'Gorman. Alongside Catherine Day and David Donoghue, we will provide independent and expert advice on progress with the much-needed change in the system of direct provision in Ireland. Housing, policy and practice, will be a key part of these changes and I hope to be able to bring to bear some of my experience over nearly two decades in this area."
ENDS
Secretariat to the independent External Advisory Group will be provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Dr. Catherine Day was the first woman Secretary General of the European Commission (2005-2015) - the most senior EU civil servant - serving two terms, with Commission President Barosso and subsequently Commission President Juncker. During her term of office, she developed the role of the Secretariat General in cross Commission policy co-ordination, its better regulation and impact assessment/policy evaluation approach, and was a key negotiator of the 2014-2020 multi annual financial framework for the EU budget. Previously, Dr. Day held a series of senior leadership roles in the Commission, being one of the architects of the pre-accession process for candidate Member States and, as Director General for Environment, being deeply involved in developing the Commission's climate and renewable energy strategies. Dr. Day holds an MA in International Trade and Economic Integration and a BA in Economics and Politics from University College Dublin, as well as Honorary Doctorates from three Irish universities. She has been awarded the President of Ireland Distinguished Service Award and the Garrett Fitzgerald Gold Medal for International Relations and was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2016. More recently, Dr. Day chaired the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protection Process (2019 to 2020), the Report of which was published by the Government in September 2020.
Dr. David Donoghue is a retired Irish Ambassador with wide-ranging experience at home and abroad. As Ireland's Ambassador to the UN (2013-17), he co-chaired two major global negotiations, one of which delivered the Sustainable Development Goals (2015) and another the New York Declaration on Migrants and Refugees (2016), the first global agreement of this kind. He had a long involvement with the Northern Ireland peace process, had postings as the Irish Ambassador to Germany, Russia and Austria and served also as the Political Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs as well as the head of Irish Aid. He is currently working in think-tanks and academic communities on migration and refugee issues, sustainable development and conflict resolution.
Dr. Lorcan Sirr is a Senior Lecturer in housing, planning and development at the Technological University Dublin. He is a board member of the Fire Station Artists' Studios and the Irish Refugee Council. Dr. Sirr is a regular speaker at conferences, a former columnist with The Sunday Times, and the editor and author of several books, including 'Renting in Ireland: the public, private and voluntary sector', 'Housing in Ireland: the A-Z guide', and the forthcoming 'Housing in Ireland: beyond the markets'.