The Government has established a new independent group to examine whether the existing system of supports given to asylum seekers, including direct provision, is fit for purpose. The group, chaired by former European Commission secretary general Catherine Day, will examine the Irish international protection system. The new group will be separate to an interdepartmental group of officials – chaired by the Department of Justice and examining the direct provision system – but will co-operate with it to test policy ideas and potential changes. Ms Day’s groupwill also build on a previous report on direct provision carried out by retired High Court judge Bryan McMahon in 2015. More than 6,000 people are currently in direct provision centres.

Source: The Irish Times October 26, 2019 00:00 UTC