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Direct Provision 2018
In Ireland asylum-seekers and their children are accommodated in residential institutions, under a reception system known as “Direct Provision”. The system meets the basic needs of food and shelter for asylum seekers directly while their claims for refugee status are being processed.
On Wednesday 13 March IOI President and Irish Ombudsman Peter Tyndall published a report on his Office’s experience of dealing with complaints from refugees and asylum seekers living in direct provision centres in 2018.
The Ombudsman received 148 complaints from residents last year. Most complaints related to the refusal of requests to transfer to other centres (32), facilities at direct provision centres (20), accommodation (14) and refusal to readmit residents to centres (13).
The Ombudsman also received complaints from residents about food, lack of cooking facilities and availability of transport.
In the report, the Ombudsman notes the positive impact that the “right to work” has had for some residents and the resulting improved mood at many centres. However residents who are in paid employment will be asked to pay a proportion of the cost of providing accommodation in line with their income. The charges will be published by the Reception and Integration Agency. Any complaint about the calculation of the charges can be examined by the Ombudsman.
The increase in the number of people seeking asylum in 2018 has led to pressures on the direct provision system. The Ombudsman reiterated his view that direct provision is not a suitable long-term system for those waiting for a decision on their asylum application.
In 2018 the Ombudsman continued his Office’s programme of visits to centres. During visits, residents were given an opportunity to speak directly to Ombudsman staff with many additional complaints being resolved on-the-spot.
Source: Office of the Ombudsman, Ireland
