The rising number of people sleeping in tents in the area surrounding the International Protection Office (IPO) on Mount Street Lower in Dublin city centre has created an “unprecedented” situation, according to refugee advocates.
As of Monday evening, 41 tents, most believed to be housing international protection (IP) applicants, could be counted close to the office of the State body responsible for processing asylum applications.
According to local homeless charities, the figure increased from 17 last month. There was only a single tent a month earlier. The Dublin Simon Community, Feed Our Homeless and Tiglin say they have engaged with rough sleepers in the area as part of their outreach and soup kitchen services.
Chief Executive of the Irish Refugee Council Nick Henderson said such a gathering of homeless asylum seekers near the IPO is “unprecedented” and “extreme. I’ve been working in the field since 2010 in Ireland and we’ve not seen something like that before,” said Mr Henderson.
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“I don’t have direct insight into it but our supposition is that people apply for protection at the IPO, they’re always going to pass by and go into that office. Therefore they see the tents. The people that we are engaging with are exhausted, worried, and scared. Some are being subject to assault and theft, therefore being together as a group probably makes sense.”
The increase in rough sleepers in the area comes as homeless refugees in the State is 557 on Monday evening, according to the Department of Integration. On January 26th, that number was 27. Despite the increasing number of homeless asylum seekers, the number of international protection applications in February and March fell by almost a third compared to 2022 figures, according to the IPO.
“Even with the drop in numbers of protection applicants and the recent people accommodated, if you applied for asylum today you’re looking at a period of homelessness of around two months,” said Mr Henderson.
[ Number of homeless in State reaches almost 12,000, latest figures showOpens in new window ]
International Protection applicants sleeping in tents near the IPO say there are as many as 60 people sleeping rough in the area. “Every day the IPO is open, new guys come,” says Volodomyr, a Ukrainian IP applicant who has been sleeping in a tent on Mount Street for three weeks. “When we had 20 people, you know everybody. Now, there are 60, you don’t know people.”
According to residents, tents were either bought privately or supplied by various charities. Those sleeping in the area say they spend their days going to homeless services such as the Capuchin Day Centre, Merchants Quay Ireland and The Lighthouse in order to shower, eat and charge their phones.
Another homeless asylum seeker from South Africa, who declined to be named, said the lack of facilities in the area is a challenge for those sleeping in tents. “We don’t have toilets, places to charge, facilities. If we could get a job, we can’t present ourselves or brush our teeth.”
The Department of Justice said that the “primary focus and role” of the International Protection Office is “the examination of applications for international protection”.
According to the department, the IPO does not record the number of rough sleepers in the vicinity of its office.
“Accommodation and related services are provided to international protection applicants by the International Protection Accommodation Service [IPAS] of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. IPAS record those persons it has not yet been able to accommodate and provide a range of supports to take account of these circumstances.”
