More asylum seekers spending longer in Direct Provision says report

More than two thirds of asylum seekers living in direct provision centres have been there for at least three years, according to a report by the state’s Reception and Integration Agency (RIA).

That comes despite a dramatic fall in the numbers of people claiming asylum here in recent years and a fall in the amount of money spent by the State in housing them.

According to the RIA annual report for last year: “By the end of 2013, 68.2% of RIA residents had first claimed international protection in Ireland three or more years previously: The percentage in 2012 was 59.4%.”

The report also reveals there were 148 child protection referrals made to the HSE last year by RIA’s child and family services unit, which was notified of 182 incidents. Most were reported by the relevant centre’s designated liaison person, while 24 were third party referrals, such as by the HSE or teachers.

By contrast, RIA received just six official complaints by asylum seekers across the country last year, four of which were upheld.

There were 4,360 people living in 34 direct provision (DP) centres last year — 10% fewer residents than in 2012 and the fifth year in a row the DP population has decreased.

The report also reveals that the number of people spending longer periods of time in DP is growing. The average length of stay is 48 months — four years — and a total of 1,686 have spent a minimum of five years in the system, of which 604 have been in DP for seven years or more.

The average length of time people spend in the asylum seeker system is even longer, at 52 months.

In Mosney, 53% of the almost 600 residents have been in DP for at least 60 months, while in the state-owned facility in Athlone, one quarter of all 236 residents have been at the centre for 84 months or more. The centre, the only one which comprises of mobile homes, does not have a creche facility, despite having 50 children aged four or under and another 75 children aged between five and 12 years.

In Ocean View in Waterford, 31% of residents have been in DP for a minimum of 72 months.

The Irish Refugee Council has described the DP system as “inhumane” and its chief executive, Sue Conlon, said the Government had failed to make any solid proposals to help those stuck in the system for years.

The Government has signalled a desire for a “single procedure” process to speed up the system, but Ms Conlon said: “People in the system now will not benefit from anything proposed and we have not seen anything in the new proposals to deal with these people.

“They have got to put resources in to clear the backlog and give priority to those in the system for a long time.”

As for the low numbers of complaints, she said: “There is a fear of reprisal — real or not — and the other thing is that people think there is no point.”

Last year the IRC outlined plans for an alternative asylum procedure but Ms Conlon said the Government had not responded.

The vast majority of DP residents are living in privately owned hostels or hotels run by private firms on contract to RIA, and Dublin, Cork and Meath house more asylum seekers than any other counties.

The spend last year on the 26 commercially-owned centres was €45.7m.

* Read the report at www.ria.gov.ie