A third in asylum centres are children

ONE third of people now living in state-run centres for asylum seekers are children – many of whom have been born into the system, figures from the Reception and Integration Agency have revealed.

At the end of May there were 6,246 people living in direct provision accommodation in 45 centres around the country, 2,034 of whom are under 18.

More than 1,250 of those are children under four years old, suggesting many are being born in Ireland as asylum seekers.