The Department of Justice has confirmed the closure of the Mount Trenchard direct provision centre in Foynes, Co Limerick at the end of next month.

A judge, who last November rejected a €20,000 settlement offer to a three-year-old boy who lost the top of a finger in a “traumatic incident” involving a creche door, yesterday accepted an increased offer of €40,000.

Victims of trafficking are, “without exception”, completely impoverished when they try and access state services, research suggests.

As four asylum seekers continued to refuse food at a hostel accommodation near Foynes, it emerged yesterday a number of residents involved in last week’s protests at the centre have been transferred, some to Cork.