Currently, an unprecedented number of asylum seekers are in anticipation of suitable lodging, with a total of 2,577 international protection claimants lacking appropriate accommodation. The Irish Refugee Council’s chief executive, Nick Henderson, is urging immediate action to be taken in order to meet these asylum seekers’ fundamental necessities.
In response, the Department of Integration has aligned with a charity for homeless individuals to initiate outreaches at specific areas where unsheltered claimants are found. Available accommodations are offered to fitting candidates identified in these outreach programs, as commented by a department representative.
Simultaneously, the department is putting great effort to locate, establish, and make ready suitable housing sites for those seeking international protection. The challenge continues, but they’re actively reviewing existing lodging sites, finding out vacancies for individuals escaping the Ukraine conflict, and planning as well as expanding larger government-owned sites across the country, sticking to government schemes to tackle this pressing systematic issue.
Even though the demand for housing for international protection applicants exceeds the supply, the department on the government’s behalf is doing everything in its power to ensure all families and children are housed. So far, they have been able to cater to the accommodation needs of all women and families craving it.
In the timeframe between December 2023 and 29th August 2024, a total of 2,577 international protection applications from males went unaccommodated. Within this period, about half of male applicant arrivals were granted housing, either immediately after they arrived (526) or following a subsequent triage (2,070). The department notes that not all international protection applicants without government-provided housing are homeless, as a considerable portion manage to secure lodgings on their own. Nonetheless, measures are being taken to offer support to those left unaccommodated.
The Integration Department currently collaborates with four philanthropic initiatives focused on helping the homeless in Dublin, providing essentials like warm food, sanitation facilities, device charging points, and respite for asylum seekers. There is an extensive backlog of over 23,000 asylum requests awaiting processing in the International Protection Office, a government source has revealed.
The government also aims to inaugurate the Thornton Hall facility as a residence in the forthcoming weeks, enabling the system to triage continuously. However, this large number of applicants is a serious concern, according to Nick Henderson from the Irish Refugee Council.
“The sheer volume of international protection applicants who lack access to shelter is alarming us. The High Court declared in July that the provisions made for unsheltered international protection applicants are insufficient. The lack of necessities, notably housing and sanitation, leaves individuals in dire circumstances that defy human dignity and violate EU law.
The court anticipated the government to react appropriately. But, a month has passed since the court’s verdict, and so far, there’s been no official response or shift in policy from the government. As winter is approaching and the harassment from the far-right continues against rough sleepers, it’s imperative to immediately take necessary measures to sustain the basic needs of international protection applicants,” he argued.