In a laudable development, dozens of individuals seeking international protection in Ireland are set to be re-housed after they set up at least 60 tents outside the Irish parliament, Dáil Éireann, in protest of being removed from temporary accommodation. The group, largely comprised of men, was previously housed in an International Protection Accommodation Centre (IPAC) in Citywest, Dublin, during a cold weather period. However, with the weather improving, they were told to vacate the centre and return to the streets due to a lack of available state accommodation.
The protest took place on Kildare Street, as new members of the Irish parliament from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin gathered for their first meetings of the new session. Gardaí intervened and instructed the protesters to dismantle their tents, but later arranged for them to be re-housed at a different accommodation facility.
The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) condemned the decision to remove the group from Citywest, calling it “reckless” and “inhumane.” The IRC reported that more than 3,000 people seeking protection in Ireland currently have no accommodation, a record high since the government exhausted its public-owned housing stock on December 4, 2023. The organization called for immediate reform, describing the situation as “not normal” and urging swift government action to address the housing crisis for asylum seekers.
In response, the Department for Integration confirmed that it engaged with the protesters and offered them housing at a new site. A new accommodation centre in Athlone, Co. Westmeath, is now housing 1,000 people seeking international protection.
As the crisis continues, advocates for refugees and asylum seekers are calling for urgent changes to Ireland’s asylum and accommodation systems to ensure timely, dignified housing and support for those in need.
