THE IRISH REFUGEE Council has expressed its concern that currently the number of asylum seekers in the state without any accommodation has reached the “highest ever” level on record, with 601 people now in this category. 

The council said that people are “not safe on the street”, and added that very cold weather has been forecasted for the next week which poses a risk to people sleeping rough, meanwhile there is “no government plan to address this crisis”. 

The council said that the number of people seeking international protection who have no accommodation offer has surpassed the level seen last spring, which peaked at 581. 

🚨 601 people now without accommodation

▪️This is the highest ever and greater than the max during the Spring (581)
▪️People are not safe on the street
▪️Cold weather for next week
▪️No government plan in place to address this crisis
▪️Meanwhile accommodation capacity exists ⬇️ https://t.co/Id8p4VrQnQ pic.twitter.com/nLP9aJ0lTe

— Irish Refugee Council (@IrishRefugeeCo) January 16, 2024

A spokesperson for the organisation said that capacity to house asylum seekers “exists”. 

The Department of Integration has previously stated that it is exploring “all possible avenues” in order to acquire further accommodation to house people who arrive in Ireland seeking protection. 

Since the Government ran out of accommodation spaces for this purpose at the end of last year, it has had an agreement in place with two charities in Dublin city centre to provide day centres to asylum seekers who are facing housing insecurity. 

It said that it is also in regular communication with these organisations to identify asylum seekers who are at risk of homelessness. 

The Journal spoke to two men who came to Ireland seeking protection in December, who met each other on the streets, and were huddling together each night while sleeping rough. They said they were only offered sleeping bags, as there was a “tents shortage” at the time they attended the International Protection Office to register. 

Recently, the Government changed course on housing male asylum seekers in contracted centres in Ballinrobe and Carlow, after protests in the areas. 

The Government said that its decision to accommodate women, children and families in these centres instead was not due to the protests, and rather due to its commitment to prioritise families when housing comes on stream for IPAS applicants. 

A string of arson attacks on buildings that were to house men seeking protection – and in one case a building that was to house homeless families in Dublin – have caused difficulty for services trying to accommodate people as well. 

The Journal has contacted the Department of Integration for comment.