INFORMATION AND SERVICES FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS IN DIRECT PROVISION

The Reception and Integration Agency, which is under the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, is responsible for co-ordinating the services provided to asylum seekers. This is done in partnership with a number of state agencies, voluntary and community groups and other non-governmental organisations.

Services and entitlements available to you:

Accommodation
As a newly arrived asylum seeker, you are initially accommodated in a short-stay reception centre in the Dublin area for a period of assessment. You will then be assigned accommodation at a regional centre. Such an assignment will take into account your particular needs.
Direct provision accommodation may be taken into account as a non-cash benefit when means are being assessed for One-Parent Family Payment. Direct provision accommodation is assessed at 99.70 euro per week by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

Personal welfare entitlements
Your accommodation is full board, which includes bed, breakfast, lunch, and evening meal.
Each adult will receive a personal allowance of 19.05 euro per week and 9.52 euro for each child plus child benefit. Your local Community Welfare Officer (CWO) will advise you on how to apply for child benefit.
You may also be entitled to assistance towards clothing when you arrive and to other exceptional needs from time to time. Your CWO will advise you on this.
You will not be entitled to rent allowance as your accommodation is paid for.

Medical services and entitlements
The health board in your area will provide for your medical needs.
The local CWO will provide you with a Medical Card Application Form, which you should complete and return to the health board as soon as possible. The Medical Card gives you and your family access to medical services free of charge. If you do not apply for and receive a medical card, you will be asked to pay for certain medical services. Services available free of charge under the Medical Card Scheme include:

• General Practitioner (local doctor) services,
• Hospital in-patient and out-patient services (as a public patient),
• Prescriptions/medicines (with some exceptions),
• Women's health services,
• Psychological services for those traumatised by torture, rape or other critical life experiences,
• Optical tests and glasses,
• Hearing tests and hearing aids,
• Dental treatment for adults,
• Where defects have been noted at school medical examinations, dental treatment for children.
• Other health services available free of charge are maternity services, immunisation services and health screening. Your local CWO will advise you about getting access to these services in your resettlement area.
• A health board may have waiting lists for these services and may have to give priority on the basis of medical need.
• If you are pregnant or have small children, the CWO will make arrangements for you to contact the local Public Health Nurse (PHN). The nurse will visit you to see if you need any help and will put you in contact with your nearest health clinic.
• Medical screening
  A free medical screening service is available to all asylum seekers.
  This service is completely confidential and independent of your application for a declaration of refugee status.
  The service includes screening for certain infectious diseases such as TB, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV and checking the vaccination needs of you and your family.
  The outcome of any medical tests you undergo will not affect your application for a declaration of a refugee status in any way.
  There are a number of reasons why you are advised to avail of medical screening. The screening will:

1. identify and treat those who are ill.
2. provide protection against infectious diseases through immunisation.
3. Any necessary follow-up medical treatment will be provided for you and your family free of charge under the medical card scheme.
4. It is in your interest to avail of this service and you can be assured that this service is provided to you and your family in complete confidence.

Education
Information packs on primary and post-primary education are provided at the initial reception centre in Dublin to the parents of children of school-going age before they are allocated to their regional accommodation centre.
All children and young people, including young asylum seekers, are entitled to free primary and post primary education.
Corporal punishment is prohibited in Irish schools.
All children are required to remain in school until they are 15 years of age. This age will be raised to 16 years within the next two years. Most children start school at 4 years of age and continue through primary school until they are approximately 12 years old.
On completing primary education, the students then transfer to post-primary education (or second-level, more commonly called secondary education). They join the junior cycle of secondary education, which lasts 3 years. At the end of this cycle students present themselves for the Junior Certificate Examination. Students then continue into the senior cycle, which lasts two or three years and leads to students presenting for the Leaving Certificate Examination.
Children may have free access to mother tongue supports.
As an asylum seeker, you are not entitled to free third-level (university or college) education.
Adults may have free access to adult literacy and English language classes. Information on English classes can be obtained from your local Vocational Education Committee or local support group.

Work and vocational training
If you sought asylum after 26 July 1999, you are not entitled to work or attend vocational training.
You may, however, become involved in voluntary community activities.

Interpretation and translation services
Interpretation and translation services will be provided where necessary.

Local support groups
Information on various local support groups, at or near your resettlement destination, will also be available on request from the Staff of The Reception and Integration Agency will hold information meetings at your accommodation centre on a regular basis.

Rules
You will be expected to stay at the regional centre while your application for a declaration as a refugee is being processed.
You are not allowed to seek alternative accommodation in the private rented sector during this time.
If you are absent from your designated accommodation centre for more than 3 consecutive nights, the Reception and Integration Agency will deem your bed space abandoned.
Continuous absenteeism (that is, for 3 or more nights) will be taken as an indication that you do not wish to receive any aid or assistance from the Agency.
House rules are posted in each accommodation centre. While you are a resident in the centre, you will be expected to abide by these rules.
It is the responsibility of parents to supervise and care for their children. To ensure the safety of the children and for the safety of others, it is not permissible to leave children unattended at the accommodation centres. Failure to care for and ensure the safety of your children may require the involvement of the local health board, which is obliged, under the Child Care Act, 1991, to ensure the welfare and protection of children in its area.
Your application for refugee status will be processed while you are living at your allocated accommodation. The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner will provide you with an information leaflet on the procedures involved in processing asylum claims.

Where to apply
Reception and Integration Agency,
Block C, Ardiluin Centre West, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2
Telephone: 01 418 3200
LoCall: 1890 777 727

Your Community Welfare Officer is based at your local health centre.