Bishop slams asylum seeker system:  ‘The Christian way is to be welcoming towards the stranger’

The direct provision system is not fit for purpose, the Bishop of Galway has said, in an intervention that is likely to put further pressure on the Government.

As more than 2,000 people marched in the village of Oughterard on Saturday over plans to locate a direct provision centre in a local hotel, Bishop Brendan Kelly said the current system contributes to deepening ignorance, resentment, and suspicion. He also called on the Department of Justice to engage with locals and said recent protests and incidents in the area were worrying.