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Pringle: Government delays in assigning PPS numbers leaving refugees without access to services
- Updated: 17th November 2022
Independent TD for Donegal Thomas Pringle, said Government delays in assigning PPS numbers to Ukrainian refugees are leaving people without access to GP services and leading to misunderstandings in local communities.
Addressing Minister Roderic O’Gorman in the Dáil today, Deputy Pringle said: “For example, in Ballybofey, the asylum seekers that have been housed there have no GP services available to them because they have no PPS numbers.
“They were moved to Donegal without having PPS numbers applied for, which means that they are using the hospital services and ambulance service because there’s no doctors available to them. And that’s a shocking situation for them to be in.
“I think it’s happening as well with Ukrainian refugees in Buncrana and Carndonagh, where they’re using ambulance services because they have no doctors available. And very quickly what you end up with then is word going out to the community, oh the people are getting better access. It’s because they have no access that they have to use this.”
He said there are also instances where school transport services are not meeting the new needs.
Deputy Pringle said: “We’ve had a case in Killybegs recently where somebody had to pay for the school transport to get Ukrainian kids to school.”
The deputy had asked the minister what supports are being given his department from other Government departments to provide for the urgent housing needs for Ukrainian and international protection refugees. In his response, the minister detailed the work of other government departments and groups in relation to accommodation.
Deputy Pringle said: “There might be high-level agreements and there might be people working at the high level, but it doesn’t seem to be translating on the ground and I think that needs to be addressed.”
The deputy addressed the minister during oral parliamentary questions to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Deputy Pringle said: “I understand that there will be pressures because the situation is unprecedented, but there are pressures for people trying to live as well in the areas.”
The deputy said: “I don’t think anybody should end up in an area who doesn’t have a PPS number. Surely, with computerisation, PPS numbers can be issued reasonably quickly. I got a response back from the HSE saying that they expect it could take months before PPS numbers will be given to these people, which means it will take months before they can apply for a medical card and then when they apply for a medical card it will take months before that medical card is granted.”
That shouldn’t be happening, he said.
Deputy Pringle said: “I know there are difficulties, but I don’t think those things should be presenting the difficulties.”
In response, Minister O’Gorman said he would see what could be done to expedite the process.
