Refugee accommodation ‘gone from chairs to floors, to tents, to nothing at all’

Plummeting standards of accommodation for refugees in recent months have seen a steady deterioration from direct provision, to emergency accommodation and into transit centres, with people sleeping on floors and chairs, then the use of tents and ultimately no accommodation provided at all in September.

That is according to the Irish Refugee Council which said it is receiving “grievous reports of risks to minors and the most vulnerable.”

The council has called on the Government for urgent action to redress the accommodation crisis for people seeking protection in Ireland.

In a new report, the council recommends the Government immediately appoint an inspector of emergency, transit and tent accommodation. It said recent months and weeks had seen “grievous risks to minors, women, and children”. Reports include child protection issues and serious allegations targeting vulnerable residents, the council said. “Ensuring basic reception standards, and identifying health and safety risks, is paramount,” the council said.

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The report also called for a whole-of-Government approach to the crisis to avoid a “siloing” of problems within the overburdened Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

It also says a plan and targeted resources are needed to help people move out of direct provision and on with their lives. Otherwise, reception capacity must increase exponentially.

It says a recommitment needs to be made by the Government towards implementing the recommendations of the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision, and a refugee response director should be appointed, and a supporting communications plan should be published to communicate and oversee logistics, co-ordinate action across Government departments, and provide clear communication with the public.

Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, said the council acknowledged the challenges faced by Government.

However, he said, “we are extremely concerned about plummeting standards in accommodation. Recent months have seen a steady deterioration from Direct Provision, to emergency accommodation, to transit centres with people sleeping on floors and chairs, then the use of tents and ultimately no accommodation provided at all in September. We are receiving increasing numbers of grievous reports of risks to minors and the most vulnerable.”

“We cannot focus all attention and resources on the immediate and most pressing crisis of new arrivals, without recognising that there is a dual, parallel need to plan for the medium-long term.”

“By implementing the actions recommended here, Government can begin to move forward on their commitment to end Direct Provision, while increasing the States’ capacity to address emergency responses as they arise. Crucially, these recommendations also address the need for a plan to manage objectives and facilitate positive engagement, greater public awareness and understanding, and more effective support from civil society organisations working in this area,” he said.