Number in asylum centres increases despite criticisms

The number of people in the country’s shamed direct provision system has increased, despite two damning reports into its failings.

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service says 4,696 asylum seekers and refugees were in direct provision centres at the end of 2015, a 7.6% increase on the number in 2014.

INIS said the increase was due to a rise in the number of asylum applications between 2014 and 2015 and noted the trend had been on a downward slide prior to that.