Asylum seekers staying in tents in Clare to be moved to alternative accommodation ‘by Monday’

The remaining 83 asylum seekers who had been accommodated in tents in Co Clare, and who spent Saturday night in a recreation hall, “will be moved later today or tomorrow morning”, a spokesman for Minister for Children and Integration Roderic O’Gorman said on Sunday.

He said 10 had been moved to alternative indoor accommodation on Sunday morning and the remainder would move “over the next 24 hours”.

In all, 93 spent Saturday night in the recreation hall at Knockalisheen Direct Provision (DP) Centre.

It is understood the 10 moved on Sunday morning are in a local hotel.

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The Department of Children had faced criticism as more than 100 asylum seekers had remained in tents on the grounds of the DP centre near Meelick in the south of the county, throughout last week as temperatures plunged below zero.

“Some of them, 10 of them, have moved already and we are just waiting to see whether the remaining will be moved later today or tomorrow morning,” said the spokesman.

“They stayed there overnight last night and if there are any more remaining at the end of today they will stay there again this evening but they will be moving to entirely new premises in the morning.”

He could not specify whether they would move to hotels, B&Bs or other accommodation, but said the hall was secure, warm and hot meals and drinks were being provided.

Asked why those who had been living in tents in Co Clare had not been moved earlier, he said alternative accommodation was only just coming on stream. He added there had been 150 people in Athlone in tents “that were not as winter-ready” as those in Knockalisheen, “and they were prioritised last week”. They were now all indoors, he added.

He reiterated the department was providing accommodation for unprecedented numbers of international protection applicants. A total of 17,648 people are currently in State-provided accommodation as well as 46,060 Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection, the department said.