423 referrals over child asylum seekers

MORE than 420 child protection referrals were made to the HSE because of concerns over children living in state-funded hostels for asylum seekers last year.

The 423 referrals included incidents of physical abuse or assault, inappropriate sexual behaviour, mental health issues, children left unsupervised or parents not being able to cope.

Five children living in direct provision were taken into care by the HSE last year.

Inspection reports of the government-funded centres, most of which are privately run, obtained by the Irish Examiner show that standard of accommodation is generally deemed by inspectors to be “OK”, “satisfactory” and in some cases of a “very high standard”.

However, with almost 6,000 people — 2,000 of which are children — living in 46 centres, the cramped spaces families are forced to live in, often three or four to a room, is exposed in the reports.

In a Galway centre, the Eglinton Hotel, several families of five shared one room, and many families of four shared rooms also. In other cases, residents were using their en suite to store food and rooms were often deemed cluttered.

In general it was reported that the centre was “operating to a high standard”.

Most of the centres are old hotels or hostels and run by private firms on contract to the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), which looks after asylum issues.

There are also some prefabricated structures owned by the state but run by private firms, for example the Kinsale Road centre in Cork and Knockalisheen in Co Clare.

The cost of housing people last year came to €80 million.

The inspection report from the Kinsale Road centre said the food was “excellent and very tasty”. In relation to the bedrooms, comments said the decor and cleanliness was “OK”. Again three or four people living in many of the rooms and six people were living in one room.

The inspector noted the room was “very cramped” but found that the centre wa operating to a high standard in general.

The inspection report from Lisbrook House in Co Galway found there were 275 asylum seekers in 100 rooms, with families of four sometimes living in one room.

At the Old Convent in Co Mayo, 281 people lived in 77 rooms, with up to four people living in one room.

Globe House in Sligo was found to have excellent facilities including a HSE-run playschool and playground, but here too families of three and four were sharing one room.

Other issues identified in reports are that it is generally considered to be an issue if residents had kettles or fridges in their rooms, and that there were damp and maintenance issues that need to be dealt with.

Inspectors generally deemed centre grounds and communal areas to be well maintained.

According to the RIA, although it does not compile statistics on the number of complaints made in respect of accommodation, it “monitors” all centres and takes action if needed.

RIA said it intended to start compiling formal written complaints this year.