More than 20 per cent of people living in seven direct provision centres could not move out despite having permission to stay in Ireland due to a shortage of housing, according to reports from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa).
The reports covered International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres in counties Cork, Kerry, Louth, Galway and Waterford.
In addition to noting how many residents are in each centre, they record how many have been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection allowing them to move out and to look for their own housing.
In two centres – Birchwood House in Co Waterford and Millstreet Accommodation Centre in Co Cork – 42 per cent of residents were stuck there, having been granted international protection but unable to leave.
Renters forking out €2,000 per month are paying the price for water charges debacle
Hitting target of 41,000 homes to be built this year will be ‘challenging’, Minister for Housing admits
Holiday homeowners underestimate at their peril the anger among those locked out of the housing market
Water utility warns on reforms needed for housing targets: ‘The scale of the task is immense’
Regarding Birchwood House, Hiqa said: “While the primary function of the centre was to provide accommodation to people seeking international protection, the inspectors found that 54 (42 per cent) of the residents had received refugee, subsidiary protection or leave to remain status.
“Due to the lack of alternative accommodation, they were unable to avail of more appropriate accommodation arrangements in the community.”
In Millstreet, where 109 of the 260 residents had refugee status or another right to remain, the report said 42 per cent of residents “had received notice to seek private accommodation” outside of the centre.
“Due to the lack of alternative accommodation available this was not always possible.”
At Carroll Village IPAS centre in Co Louth, 26 of the 88 residents (29.5 per cent) had the right to remain at the time of the inspection, March 19th and 20th last, but could not find housing.
At Park Lodge in Co Kerry, nine of the 51 residents (17 per cent) had permission to remain. This fell to 4.4 per cent at Linden House, Co Kerry, 4.7 per cent at Great Western House in Co Galway and 5.4 per cent at Ashbourne House in Glounthaune, Co Cork.
The Department of Justice is seeking to source additional IPAS accommodation due to continued pressure for beds in the system.
The most recent data from the department, published on June 20th, shows there were 2,577 male adult asylum seekers “awaiting offers of accommodation”.
Figures released last week show the department has received 131 offers from property owners of buildings to be used as IPAS centres. These were being “worked through and assessed”, meaning it was not possible to state how many of the 131 had been offered for sale rather than lease, a department spokeswoman said.
The seven Hiqa reports published on Friday showed high levels of compliance with national standards. However, two centres had areas of noncompliance.
At Park Lodge in Co Kerry, where 51 single women are living, inspectors who visited on February 18th and 19th noted that “residents spoke positively” about the centre.
However, it said “improvements were required ... related to strengthening safeguarding practices”, as well as the recruitment of a reception officer, development of supporting guidance documents for the reception officer, and the need for enhanced governance to ensure adequate oversight, accountability and monitoring.
Carroll Village in Co Louth, home to 88 people in families, was inspected on March 19th and 20th. “The inspectors were told by residents that they felt safe living in the centre. Life ... felt ‘normal’ [and] some residents said they ’don’t feel different here’.“
However, the report said: “The overall governance and oversight systems in place were not fully effective.”
It added: “Systems to review the implementation of, and compliance with relevant standards, legislation and policies were not fully effective” and, “the service provider had not ensured that all of the required notifications were submitted to Hiqa in line with the requirements.”
