The Department of Justice has insisted that it has put in place a range of measures to help mitigate the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak in Clare’s direct provision centres.
It comes amid concern that centres across the country have been the source of some clusters of the virus.
Direct provision centres are one of the areas of most acute concern with regards to COVID-19, with at least five clusters associated with such facilities reported in recent weeks.
And while it’s understood none of these are in Clare, it’s understood that a number of residents have transferred in recent weeks to Clare’s direct provision centres, including the Clare Lodge facility in Ennis.
When asked by Clare FM about their measures to help contain the virus in such settings, the Department of Justice admitted that residents transferring between centres are not required to self-isolate, although those who are moving into a centre for the first time are subject to a 14-day quarantine.
The Department says movement of people can take place between centres to ensure adequate spacing between residents at all times, and is conducted in line with public health advice.
They have also outlined a range of measure designed to stem the spread of the disease, including enhanced cleaning regimes, provision of PPE, and an accommodation scheme for healthcare workers living in direct provision.
