A total of 76 asylum seekers who have arrived into Ireland in recent days have been left without accommodation due to a “severe shortage” of places for people seeking international protection.
The State has since Sunday not been able to provide accommodation to single men who have come to Ireland to seek asylum.
A total of 83 people were unable to be accommodated, at least initially, in the first three days of the week, according to the latest figures from the Department of Integration.
Seven were offered accommodation retrospectively, meaning that 76 people remained without a place to stay as of Wednesday night.
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The figure represents just over a third of those who sought asylum in the period in question, with 216 people applying for international protection between Monday and Friday.
People who are not being offered accommodation are being given an increased weekly payment of €113.80 and being referred to drop-in centres run by two homelessness charities.
The State is providing accommodation for almost 100,000 people, including more than 73,700 people from Ukraine and some 25,800 asylum seekers from elsewhere.
A Department of Integration spokesman said: “Despite intensive efforts to source emergency accommodation, the Department is currently not in a position to provide accommodation to all international protection applicants due to the severe shortage.”
Officials are said to be working to bring more bed spaces into use and the spokesman said more than 10,000 beds have been found for asylum seekers since January of last year.
“Various issues beyond the control of the Department have resulted in offers not being progressed, and accommodation not contracted, swiftly enough to meet the demand,” he added.
“Drop-in day services are provided to all non-accommodated persons who wish to avail of them.
“In such centres, international protection applicants can access facilities including hot showers, meals and laundry services seven days a week.
“They also provide tents and sleeping bags, where required, at both drop-in centres which have agreements with the Department.”
The asylum seekers who are not offered accommodation are provided with the contact details for International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) and with information on accessing health and other public services.
The spokesman said: “The Department will work closely with the HSE to ensure that health services are provided to all those in need.”
All asylum seekers presenting to the International Protection Office (IPO) during periods when there is no accommodation available are being assessed by IPAS and HSE staff for significant vulnerabilities and health issues and prioritised for accommodation as necessary.
The spokesman said the department is continuing to “work intensively” to source further accommodation and to follow up with international protection applicants awaiting an offer of a place to stay.
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