Nick Henderson

The Irish Refugee Council has challenged the State to address the crisis following recent judgments in the High Court which found that the failure to provide reception conditions to people seeking international protection violates both Irish and European law.

Since December 2023, 5,671 of 6,407 people seeking asylum have been refused accommodation, with 3,001 still unaccommodated. Only 736 were immediately accommodated after a vulnerability triage.

Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, said: “We can’t continue to normalise homelessness and have the State effectively delegate its duties to volunteers and under resourced charities. It puts both people seeking protection and those helping them at risk of harm.

“The situation is a direct affront to Ireland’s commitment to human rights and dignity. Several High Court rulings have clearly stated the mandatory legal obligation to provide applicants with basic needs including accommodation and the insufficiency of the State’s current alternative offering.

“We are also extremely concerned that, from tomorrow, people who were accommodated in City West during the cold weather initiative will be placed back on to the streets and that people newly arrived will not be offered accommodation unless they are deemed vulnerable. Met Eireann is forecasting a very unsettled spell of wet and very windy weather for the rest of this week.”

“We urge the current administration and moreover the new government, whatever form it may take, to act swiftly to create the needed capacity to restore the dignity and safety for people seeking protection.”