Brought together by war but with little else to bind them: The realities of life in accommodation centres

A hotel in the south of the country has seen arguments develop among residents frustrated at their living conditions, with some asked to leave over 'anti-social behaviour', writes Ann Murphy

A boy at Przemysl railway station in Poland after travelling from war-torn Ukraine on March 31, 2022. Ireland has sourced accommodation for almost 60,000 people fleeing the war in Ukraine in the past year. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

As the world’s eyes were on Qatar for the World Cup final, groups of people across various communities and social divides were brought together by a common love of football.

Just like the tensions between the supporters of Argentina and France, there were also divisions between those who were interested and those who were not.

In a hotel in the south of Ireland, a small group of people gathered around a television in the bar to watch the unseasonal finale of the World Cup, just a week out from Christmas.

Not everyone was excited by the game though. An hour into the game, gardaí arrived at the hotel, now home to a group of Ukrainians living in the facility as beneficiaries of temporary protection.

One of those still living in the hotel said: “On the day of the World Cup final, one guy called the Garda and told them that there was a problem. Some people watch TV at 4 o’clock and garda came and we had conversation about it. It was another guest called them.” 

He explained it was an example of days when there have been disagreements about what volume the television should be at, because of discontent among some residents about the noise levels.

“It is very hard because I can’t hear the TV. The TV is in the bar and we have a lot of people in the bar; some people are talking and you can’t hear the TV," he said.

He accepts not everybody will be interested in watching the same programme but insists he does not have the volume too high.

It might seem like a simple issue, but for those forced to live together in congregated settings, it has been one of those triggers for calls to An Garda Síochána about anti-social behaviour.

It is on the lower end of the scale in terms of some of the causes of tension between people brought together by war but with little or nothing else to bind them.

In this centre, there appears to be a number of people who seek to improve their conditions, while others prefer not to raise their heads above the parapet.

One of those who has tried to raise concerns and has written letters to Government ministers highlighting issues including food quality and health and safety said: “Some people are just afraid to have some problems. They prefer to do nothing. To be quiet and not complaining.” 

In relation to food, a family of four are the only Russian Orthodox residents at the centre. They highlight difficulties in getting access to the food they need to meet strict Lenten fast requirements — an issue which is individual to them and one they find particularly difficult.

One member of the group who vocally seeks to improve their conditions is the mother of a young child, less than three years of age.

In a letter received by her from hotel management in January, the woman was told “numerous complaints” were received in relation to the woman’s treatment of and behaviour towards her child. She was told the issues raised “may be in breach of Irish child legislation” and she was warned that if she did not cease or desist, Tusla would be informed.

Raised concerns

It is not the only time management claimed some residents had raised concerns about others at the facility.

A warning sent to a resident about his behaviour in recent weeks also highlighted that issues had been raised by others in the hotel. Told that his treatment of staff and other residents was antisocial, he was also advised that “we have reliable witnesses to same events”. 

The behaviour was further described as “disrespectful and threatening”.

He has since been asked to leave the property by the Department of Integration. The department said “incidences of beneficiaries of temporary protection being asked to leave short-term emergency accommodation due to anti-social behaviour are rare”.

In a letter received last Friday, another resident was told his behaviour since he received a written warning in January and another in February was deemed to be anti-social, with “reliable witnesses to same events”. 

He has been told if the behaviour continues, he will be asked to leave the facility permanently. He is the man who highlighted the incident regarding the volume of the television in the hotel bar. 

He also said: “It is very cold in my room. I don’t have hot water, and I don’t have heating in my room.” 

A child is wrapped in a blanket as Ukrainian refugees cross the border into Poland from Ukraine at the border crossing in Medyka, eastern Poland, on March 9, 2022. Picture: Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP via Getty Images

While the department does not comment on individual cases or accommodation providers, it says it is aware of the ongoing “situation” at the centre, where there are currently 15 residents.

The department says it has a responsibility to provide suitable temporary accommodation to displaced persons fleeing conflict. It says, however: “Similarly, displaced persons have a responsibility of good conduct towards one another and towards providers and staff providing assistance. 

"Together, in cooperation with accommodation providers and implementation partners, we can provide and maintain an accommodation environment where respectful, open and equal relationships are the norm. 

"As set out in the anti-social behaviour policy, such behaviour may lead to accommodation being withdrawn, with no further offers of accommodation being made.” 

Code of conduct

A code of conduct and an anti-social behaviour policy have been drawn up especially for the Ukrainians availing of the Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection scheme. They were published on the department’s website last November, more than eight months after the influx of Ukrainians fleeing their homeland after Russia’s invasion.

In the code of conduct, those availing of accommodation are advised that “violence, the threat of violence, intimidation, aggression or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated”. The code also says that “noise levels and noise disruption must be kept to an appropriate level".

It states that if occupants cannot share accommodation peacefully then the offer of accommodation will be withdrawn and disruptive occupants will be required to leave.

This is also written into the anti-social behaviour policy, which adds that such behaviour “may lead to accommodation being withdrawn with no further offers of accommodation being made”.

In a recent submission to the Oireachtas committee on children, equality, disability, integration and youth, immigrant support organisation Nasc said it was concerned by the varying standards of accommodation available to beneficiaries of temporary protection.

The organisation said there appears to be a lack of oversight and accountability when problems emerge. It called for standards and a clear complaints mechanism in this area.

Chief executive of Nasc Fiona Hurley told the Irish Examiner that beneficiaries of temporary protection, as well as those living in direct provision, are living in artificial and intense environments where people are trying to get access to the same limited resources, such as kitchen or laundry facilities, at the same time.

Nasc chief executive Fiona Hurley said beneficiaries of temporary protection are living in artificial and intense environments where many people are trying to access limited resources.

“It creates these environments where it is very easy for small things to assume a greater degree of importance," she said.

"It is understandable in human nature that families who are used to having their own home and used to their own autonomy and independence would find it very difficult to live under these new conditions.

They have to possibly manage their day around other families’ needs — they can’t do something because someone has booked this room or another family has a television on at night because that is when their baby is asleep but your baby is asleep at a different time.

“It does create these real difficulties because people are in these really artificial environments. People understand that most people are trying to live their lives and get on with their days but it can lead to acrimony.” 

She said a lot of the tensions between residents in congregated settings such as direct provision or centres for beneficiaries of temporary protection are not serious enough to be brought to organisations such as Nasc.

She added, however, that there have been some over the years in direct provision, “particularly where people are sharing rooms or where their rooms are adjacent to each other and they have very different needs and very different schedules and someone wants a transfer out of that”.

The shortage of accommodation for people fleeing to Ireland makes it more difficult now for people to transfer, as it has never been as squeezed as it is now.

Last week, the Cabinet approved funding of €20m for the provision of 400 beds on two sites to provide accommodation for refugees from Ukraine and people seeking international protection here. 

The accommodation working group within the Department of the Taoiseach is also examining the procurement of modular units with a 30-year life while longer-term modular units are to be ready for Ukrainians at the end of next month.

In a statement last week, a Government spokesman said: “An expanded programme of work has now been agreed by Government that will allow consideration of commercial properties and sites for development, refurbishment or purchase and the use of alternative modular buildings. 

"This work will be progressed by all of the State actors working together as part of the Accommodation Working Group and a National Coordination Unit will be established in the Local Government Management Agency to ensure delivery on the expanded workstream at local level.” 

Ireland has sourced accommodation for almost 60,000 people fleeing the war in Ukraine in the past year. There are also up to 20,000 people in direct provision awaiting a decision on their applications for asylum in Ireland.

Ms Hurley said: “We have been saying that the Government needs to build, it needs to reduce its reliance on hotel accommodation so this is one way the Government can try to reduce that reliance. But again, we do want to ensure that when these centres are being created, they are being done in line with the recommendations in the white paper.” 

She added that the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision contained a commitment to building a number of reception centres. She said the document also included a commitment to ensuring there were adequate resources available at those centres, such as orientation supports where people could get their vulnerability assessments and other elements to specifically meet the needs of newly arriving people.

She concluded: “We are quite curious to find more information and get more information about what these reception centres will look like and whether they will fulfil the mandate within the white paper.”