Asylum seekers facing homelessness deemed 'unacceptable' amid safety fears
Government sources have said there is a “real risk” that asylum seekers will have to sleep rough in tents. File picture: Larry Cummins
The Government is fearful for the safety of asylum seekers who face being homeless this week due to a lack of accommodation.
Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman has warned Cabinet colleagues that the State will likely not be in a position to offer accommodation to international protection applicants later this week due to a shortage of beds.
As officials scramble to put in place contingency plans, Government sources have said there is a “real risk” that asylum seekers will have to sleep rough in tents.
Women and children who arrive in the country will be prioritised but single men may be left with no offer of shelter in the coming days.
There is now concern that asylum seekers who may be forced to sleep on the street will be violently targeted as anti-immigrant rhetoric ramps up in the wake of last week's Dublin riots.
The Irish Refugee Council it is completely unacceptable that a country with the wealth and resources of Ireland cannot accommodate the numbers of people seeking protection over the last 18 months.
Senior Government sources pointed to scenes witnessed earlier this year on Sandwith St in Dublin when tents belonging to homeless refugees were set on fire.
The Department of Integration has struggled to procure more accommodation for asylum seekers, with senior figures highlighting that localised protests have hampered their ability to secure the continuation of services and new facilities.
“There are now significant concerns about their safety, in the very real likelihood they end up sleeping on the street,” a Government source said.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said the Government is facing a “challenging situation” to find accommodation.
Asked if he would be concerned that homeless asylum seekers might be targeted, he said: “Generally speaking, I would be concerned for their safety in any situation.
“We had some indication last week, and there were people giving out again and protests outside various centres, which is unacceptable, given the terror that it can create for people, anxiety, and fear.
"That applies in any particular context but obviously in a homeless context… that would be exacerbated. We are very conscious of it,” Mr Martin said.
Ireland is currently accommodating around 100,000 refugees and asylum seekers: 74,000 Ukrainians and 25,500 international protection applicants.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the number of people seeking international protection will be lower than last year.
"It will be roughly 13,000 this year, down from 15,000 the year before,” he said.
However, there has been an increase in asylum seekers in recent weeks, with an average of 330 weekly arrivals.
There were 1,785 arrivals in June and July but this increased to 2,450 arrivals in September and October.
A Government spokesperson said increased Garda visibility will be present in the capital and will aim to protect everyone, including those who may end up sleeping rough.
Mr Varadkar has also said that immigration should be seen as a "good thing" and he warned politicians that "more than ever" they must be careful about the words they use.
He said the country would not have the money to invest in health, education, or housing if it were not for migrants who come to Ireland and join the workforce.
Irish Refugee Council chief executive Nick Henderson said it was time for the Government to consider providing “some sort of large scale, state provided accommodation that ensures people's basic needs and shelter".
“There is clearly just one single Government department that has played a part here. Ultimately, when we boil it all down, the Department of Children [and Integration] have led on this issue for the last 18 months, and in our opinion, other Government departments need to begin playing their part. It's completely unacceptable that a country with the wealth and resources of Ireland cannot accommodate what is an increasing number of people seeking protection over the last 18 months, but still remains, we believe, a very manageable number.”
Mr Henderson told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that it had become clear in recent weeks, on the basis of briefings from the Department of Integration, that the accommodation situation was “extremely tight”.
“There are currently around 6000 people in accommodation who have status, who in theory can begin the process of building their lives in Ireland, but really find it very difficult to do so because of the dearth and lack of medium to long term accommodation that they can move to.”
Other Government agencies like Civil Defence or the Defence Forces could be utilised to build temporary accommodation where people could be given shelter and help to get through the winter, he said.
“There is land out there. There is resources within the State that they could use and the consequence of not doing that would be so grave, and particularly in light of what happened last Thursday.”
Meanwhile, officials across a number of Government departments are still working on policy proposals to change Ireland’s accommodation offering to Ukrainians.
It is understood plans to offer shelter for 90 days only before they have to find their own accommodation is not off the table.
The Government intends to introduce changes before Christmas and it is understood a significant plan is expected to be presented to the Cabinet committee on Ukraine next week.
However, any cut to social welfare benefits will not see Ukrainian refugees put on the same payment as those in direct provision, which stands at €38.80 per week.
