Direct Provision families to be moved out of Skellig Star hotel from this week

Joy as residents of the Skellig Star DP Centre and locals celebrate the announcement by Minister Helen McEntee that the residents of the Skellig Star DP Centre will be moved to more suitable Centres. Photograph Alan Landers.

Families in Direct Provision are to be moved out of the Skellig Star hotel in Cahersiveen from this week.

The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, re-confirmed the commitment made last Thursday in the Dáil when she said that all residents will be relocated from the Kerry hotel "no later than the end of the year".

"Nobody will be moved in after them either,” she said.

The centre has been mired in controversy throughout the pandemic with residents calling for Government to relocate them after a coronavirus outbreak at the centre.

Residents had started a hunger strike last week in protest at conditions at the centre before suspending the strike when commitments were made to moving them permanently.

Department of Justice officials went to the Kerry hotel to "see the situation first-hand."

A spokesperson from the department said that officials there would examine "issues raised around provision of meals and any issues arising following the boil water notice currently in place in the town.

Dinner today in the central hostel. @HMcEntee @rodericogorman #SkelligStar complaints may be resolved but #MiltownMalbay is only getting worse. @masi_asylum @RoisinGarvey @bridsmithTD #MoveThemOut pic.twitter.com/2LD09Id3bH

— Miltown Malbay (@MiltownM) July 31, 2020

"Any outstanding issues will be followed up for resolution as a matter of priority," the spokesperson said.

Cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes diarrhoeal disease in humans was detected in Cahersiveen's water supply, prompting a boil water notice by Irish Water and Kerry County Council last month. 

The Department of Justice said that staff in the Skellig Star boil all water that is to be used for cooking or drinking. They said that this safe water is available for residents at any time and there is also boiling water available 24 hours a day in burco water boilers. 

Additionally, 2 litres of bottled water is provided to each resident per day.

On Sunday, 19 July, the supply of bottled water in the centre ran out. "The stock was replenished the following morning (20 July), as soon as it could be procured. At no time were residents without access to safe drinking water," a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said.

Meanwhile, “significant and growing concerns” about outbreaks of Covid-19 in Direct Provision centres was one of the developments which prompted Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, to urge the government to adopt a “cautious approach” before fully relaxing public health guidelines.

21 outbreaks of Covid-19 were reported in Direct Provision centres involving 235 cases, with 47 new cases involving four new clusters occurring in Direct Provision centres in the past week.