'You can’t sleep in this weather': 61 international protection applicants homeless

Capuchin Day Centre manager Alan Bailey said there had been a 'huge increase' in the number of people coming to the centre for facilities. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins 

The Department of Integration has admitted there are currently 61 international protection applicants (IPAs) for whom it has not been able to find accommodation.

A department spokesperson said since January 24, 142 IPAs have arrived in Ireland. By January 30, there were 108 whom the department was unable to accommodate. 

Some 81 have since been contacted and offered accommodation, with 61 remaining. Between Tuesday and Wednesday alone, 34 IPAs arrived whom the department has been not been able to house.

“The department is continuing to work intensively to source further accommodation and to follow up with those IPAs awaiting an offer of accommodation,” the spokesperson said.

Capuchin Day Centre manager Alan Bailey said there had been a “huge increase” in the number of people coming to the centre for facilities. 

On Tuesday, we had 670 for dinner and that’s a figure we’ve never seen before.” 

Three men in the queue for the Capuchin Day Centre arrived in Ireland just days ago after fleeing Afghanistan. Hamza Muqam said when he arrived on Monday his details were taken and he was told there was no accommodation. 

“It’s been a few days that we’ve been on the streets and sleeping at the bus stop,” he said.

“The Taliban came and they kill innocent people, life is in danger there, that’s why we left Afghanistan,” said Omar Khan Dawlatzai who arrived the day after Mr Muqam — the two met at a mosque in Dublin. 

For three or four days we’ve slept at the train station, at the bus station and on the roads. It’s too difficult to sleep on the road it’s too cold, you can’t sleep in this weather.” 

Samiullah Kochai said it took them a year to get to Ireland after fleeing from Afghanistan. “Sometimes by walking, sometimes in a car,” he said.

Doras refugee and migrant rights group chief executive John Lannon said Ireland has reached a “new low”, with the reality of those seeking international protection being left homeless. 

“We can’t allow this to create the situation where the lowering of standards becomes acceptable,” he said. 

He said those who are “on the streets” need to be given adequate financial support. 

“People who are arriving here seeking protection who are homeless, are unfamiliar with the environment in which they’re in, they may not speak English so they have real difficulty in accessing services and supports. 

As an emergency measure, they should get full social welfare payments and rent assistance payments. Something needs to be done to ensure they can survive.”