Cost of housing asylum seekers hits €83.6m

THE cost of providing accommodation to asylum-seekers rose to €83.6 million last year, a 9% increase on the 2003 figure of €76.5m.

That is despite the fact that the number of asylum applicants has actually fallen, from a peak of more than 11,600 in 2002 to just 4,766 last year.

Owners of hotels, guesthouses and other private properties who house and feed asylum-seekers are paid rates of between €189 and €230 per person per week.