Parliamentary Question addressed to the Minister for Health

To ask the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that adequate communication and liaison exists between the Health Service Executive and the Department of Justice Direct Provision Service to ensure that vulnerable women receive the advice and services they are entitled to under Constitutional Provision 40. 3. 3 and subsequent legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter?

 

Reply

 

The Health Service Executive has been requested to reply directly to you in the context of the above Parliamentary Question, which you submitted to the Minister for Health for response. I have examined the matter and the following outlines the position.

 

The Health Service Executive liaises with the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of the Department of Justice on a regular basis in respect of addressing any issues pertaining to the health needs of persons within the Direct Provision system. This is effected by regular interagency meetings at local level, with issues that cannot be resolved being escalated to a High Level Group.

 

Issues may also be flagged via NGOs, funded by the HSE, to deliver services to service users for diverse and ethnic and cultural groups.  Issues may also be flagged internally to the HSE via the HSE National Intercultural Health Governance group. Again, issues, as appropriate may be referred to the High Level Group.

 

The High Level Group comprises representation from RIA, HSE, TUSLA and Department of Social Protection and is an important forum in collectively addressing a range of issues pertinent to the wellbeing of persons living in the Direct Provision system.

 

HSE staff link closely with RIA around a range of aspects relevant to the health of asylum seekers. The needs of vulnerable women €“ including advice and services to which they are entitled, including those set out under Constitutional Provision 40.3.3  are an integral part of such engagement.