Residents at Cork direct provision centre refuse meals in protest at standards

Ashbourne House: It is understood almost 100 residents are currently living at the centre. File picture.

The majority of residents at a direct provision centre are understood to have refused meals in recent days in a protest action over the standard of food.

Residents of Ashbourne House in Glounthane near Cork City have also written a letter to  Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman, about the situation, which they described as "sad" and was affecting residents "emotionally, psychologically, mentally and otherwise".

The centre is home to a number of families and it's understood almost 100 residents are currently living there.

A resident at the centre told the Irish Examiner that they initially held a meeting amongst themselves about the standard of food on offer, and then wrote a first letter to the minister.

It's understood they then held a meeting with management earlier this week, but with no resolution to the situation proposed, they then sent the second letter.

In the letter the residents make a number of claims about the food, including that the same oil is used to cook multiple foods, including meat products, even though some residents do not eat meat.

The centre does have a small kitchen area where residents can cook for themselves, but the letter states that a request for raw food so they can prepare it themselves was turned down.

It's understood the majority of residents have not now taken meals at the centre on Monday and Tuesday this week and that this is likely to continue. 

The letter requests a timeframe for additional cooking facilities and for the introduction of a new points-based system for obtaining food.

When management of the centre was contacted for comment they responded by referring queries to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) and adding: "Please note that we do not comment on matters relating to operations of the accommodation centre."