Deaf ear is turned to asylum system alarm

When one of the red lights on a car dashboard starts flashing, any sensible person will stop and check the owner’s manual. If the alarm signals something less than critical, many of us will press on, hoping against hope that whatever needs fixing can wait. Sometimes, we get away with that; sometimes, we don’t. What might have been a minor problem escalates to something significant and often eye-wateringly expensive.

It there was a red light linked to our direct provision system, it would be flashing so brightly, so persistently, that it would be impossible to ignore. Direct provision is how we look after those who arrive here and ask for asylum. There are approximately 6,000 people, including over 1,500 children, living in almost 40 centres around Ireland. The litany of concern grows.