Four injured in stabbing at direct provision centre

Up to four men have been injured in a stabbing incident at a direct provision centre in Limerick City.

The men, who are said to be natives of African countries, are believed to have sustained minor stab wounds.

One resident claimed one of those injured was beaten with a cricket bat during a row which broke out at the facility shortly before 2pm yesterday.

The men were treated at the scene for minor stab wounds by paramedics.

A Garda source said: “There was a dispute. Around three or four people suffered minor injuries. Some weapon was recovered at the scene. It’s possibly a scissors or a knife. We’re awaiting confirmation on that.”

Some residents at the asylum seeker accommodation unit on Glentworth St, said they were living in rooms at the facility for long periods of time, with some claiming they were there for between eight and 10 years.

One resident said: “We really need to be separated. This is the problem; if you keep people in a room for long periods of time, it will end like this.”

He said: “It was a row between roommates. Someone was stabbed, someone was beaten with a bat.

“Four people were injured. It is not the first time. Actually, my roommate fought also with me. A lot of things have been happening.”

The man reiterated what many in the asylum process have been highlighting in recent times — that conditions for asylum seekers are not fit for their long-term accommodation needs.

“Some look for transfers, and then you’ll probably be transferred to somewhere you don’t want to go, or you don’t get transferred at all.”

“There’s nobody listening to us,” the male resident claimed.

“This is going to cause a serious problem. People rooming with people for long periods of time who are from differing countries and who have different cultures.”

The man added: “My life is in danger in this place. I’m not even safe in this place, because anything can happen.”He added that the mental health of asylum seekers has been badly affected by their experience with direct provision.“People have been in these (types of) places for up to ten years. They’re always depressed. They are always in a state where any slight mistake and anyone can get provoked.”