Justice department planned more robust defence of Kerry direct provision centre
Tuesday Residents The On Together Picture: Direct South Provision In Cahersiveen Landers Skellig As Centre Locals & At Hunger Alan Residents Strike Star Kerry Stand Begin
The Department of Justice initially intended to use a letter to the public to claim it "could not have done" things differently in relation to the opening of the controversial Skellig Star direct provision centre in Cahersiveen.
It also planned to say there was no link between the Covid-19 outbreak at the centre and an earlier case in a Dublin hotel, where the asylum seekers had previously stayed.
It subsequently emerged a person transferred from Dublin to Cahersiveen brought the virus with them.
However, sweeping changes were made to the letter before it appeared in print.
A revised version of the letter eventually appeared as paid ads in local newspapers.
Early drafts show officials were planning to say there was likely no way they “could have done it any differently”.
Discussion on what should be included in the letter lasted several days with one internal email on May 14 stating: “I haven’t gone too heavy on the health piece but we can easily add in more if needed".
One section in which then-Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said they had adopted an “over-cautious” approach ended up being dropped from the final draft.
“Please accept my apology once again if perhaps the tension between wanting to protect people’s privacy and establishing what information could be shared perhaps led us in this case, to an over-cautious approach,” said the early draft.
Emails between department staff, released under FOI, show they were concerned about striking the right tone with the letter, with the final text eventually appearing much less stark than the early drafts.
It said it was “difficult to look” at the facts and “conclude that there was any link”.
The minister's special adviser told staff to make the final version a "bit shorter" and "more direct".
Asked for comment on the records, the Department of Justice said it had nothing to add.