On the past Friday, three vagrant families comprising of six children under 13 years of age arrived at the International Protection Office (IPO) only to discover it was shut. These families hailing from Africa and Asia, found themselves waiting for several hours. Eventually, asylum seekers dwelling in tents at the IPO and a few volunteers reached out to the police, leading the families towards a police station.
The Nigerian family consisted a 13-year-old boy and two girls, aged nine and 11, while the Bangladeshi family had two kids below five years. Another case was a single Nigerian mother aged 25, who with her three-year-old daughter, previously took refuge in a local McDonald’s the prior Thursday night.
The Nigerian family disclosed that an individual had supported their journey to Belfast and instructed them to then head to Dublin’s IPO. The angst-ridden father revealed that their journey commenced on Monday and they eventually reached the IPO by Friday morning. In contrast, the solo mother stated her arrival in Dublin from France on Thursday, after which she found the IPO shut post 6 pm, and was unaware of her next course of action, confining her to the streets. The remaining family did not divulge any details, besides their origin.
Nick Henderson, the CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, voiced that if asylum-seekers with children arrived via airports or seaports, they would be noticed by the border authorities and accommodated. However, this might not be the scenario, for those coming from Northern Ireland or different entry points.
Around the afternoon at 2pm on Friday, the families discovered shelter from the rain, standing outside the IPO, whilst the homeless asylum seekers engaged with volunteer Olivia Headon, a past aid worker and current student. Headon reached out to the local police force of Pearse Street. Initially, they expressed that they weren’t the right body to aid the families, however, eventually agreed to guide them to a police station.
The CEO of the Dublin City Community Co-operative, Noel Wardick, was on the site around half past two, tallying the growing number of tents erected around the IPO. Having been made aware of the circumstances of the families, he consented to go with them to the Pearse Street Garda station. While the Nigerian families agreed to go along, the family from Bangladesh, currently observing the Ramadan fast, opted not to and vacated the vicinity. It was uncertain as to where they would lay their heads on that particular Friday night.
The main entrance of the IPO displayed a notice indicating their closure until Tuesday, 9 in the morning. It advised individuals with lodging problems to get in touch with the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) and provided an email. The information, however, seemed to confuse the families and there was no specific guidance for those newly arrived, seeking asylum.
According to Wardick, he was astounded by the lack of a dedicated contact number for asylum seekers arriving outside operational hours. The personnel at Pearse Street Garda station demonstrated understanding and concern, but they seemed uninformed about appropriate procedures for displaced families needing shelter after working hours.
“They initially contemplated referring them to the Dublin City Council homeless services but I had to clarify that these families are unable to utilise regular emergency accommodation,” said Wardick.
Following the discussions at the Garda station, a communication was established with the IPO via a call and provisional lodging plans were made for the families for the weekend.
Wardick criticised the way the families were treated, expressing disbelief that no better provisions existed for circumstances of this nature. He further commented, “Had it not been for the residents at the IPO reaching out to volunteers, we can only imagine the fate of these families.”
Both the Department of Children, which is responsible for the IPO, and An Garda Síochána are yet to respond to requests for comments.