Michael Clifford: Time for a new direction for direct provision

Housing vulnerable refugees together in direct provision has no future in a pandemic, but what, asks Michael Clifford, will be the best system to take its place to satisfy everyone?

A resident at Skellig Star direct provision centre in Caherciveen joins with residents to highlight the Covid situation. Picture: Alan Landers

The last months of direct provision as official policy had all the hallmarks of the dying days of a corrupt regime. 

Just as a rigged election is often the spark to light a revolution against a dictator, so the pandemic highlighted the abuse of human rights inherent in the direct provision system.