Government rule out increased social welfare payments for asylum seekers
Refugee and children’s groups said the weekly payments of €19.10 per adult and €9.60 per child - set in 1999 - were putting asylum seekers at risk of poverty. This risk was increased further following a decision in 2004 denying asylum seekers child benefit of €150 per month.
“We call on the Government to increase the payment, in line with other increases in social welfare,” said Héilean Rosenstock-Armie of the Irish Refugee Council. “How is it possible for just one payment to remain the same, while the price of everything has gone up.” Justice Minister Michael McDowell told the Dáil there were “no plans” to alter the current amount paid to asylum seekers under direct provision.
Asylum seekers are provided with the weekly supplementary welfare allowance in addition to ‘direct provision’, under which all accommodation, meal, heat and lighting costs are paid directly by the State.
The Irish Refugee Council said the payment should be increased to €49 per adult per week and €24 per child per week.
Ms Rosenstock-Armie said the financial plight of asylum seekers was compounded by the fact that the child benefit payment had been taken off them altogether.
“Not only is the payment only €19.10 per adult, there is nothing else. They took away the child benefit of €150 per month. That at least would cover basic needs.”
She said parents in direct provision had said their main concern was not the lack of money for themselves, but for their children.
“They can’t provide for them. The food in direct provision is quite meagre. The parents try and add a bit extra, fruit or ethnic foods or healthy things, but can’t.
“A poor diet affects children more than adults.”
She said the same financial difficulties apply when the child is suddenly sick and over-the-counter medicines, which are not covered by a medical card, are needed.
She said children of asylum seekers were further discriminated against following the news last week that people from the ten new EU accession countries could claim child benefit here, even if their child did not live here.
And she said it had emerged that accession country migrants could also apply for the €1,000 early child care allowance.
“People from the accession countries can access both payments, yet we have children who have been living here since 2004, some of whom have been born here and have only lived in Ireland, who are denied them.”
