THERE ARE FEARS that asylum seekers may become seriously ill or even die as many will be forced to sleep rough or in tents as temperatures drop tonight.
Activists who work with international protection applicants have accused the government of being slow to act, only helping people when they’re at “their most vulnerable”.
Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning today, which will be in place until 10am tomorrow. The warning will take effect again nationwide on Wednesday evening until 10pm Thursday.
Concerns have been raised about the tented accommodation provided in Crooksling, Co Dublin, where up to 500 people are sheltered.
Residents have been reporting extremely cold temperatures, leaks that dampen beds and personal items, and no hot water in the sinks of the bathrooms on site.
Olivia Headon is a volunteer who helps asylum seekers in Ireland with things like supplies, shelter and communication with the Department of Integration.
Despite plans to move some people indoors tonight, she doesn’t believe the government is doing enough to provide basic protections for vulnerable people during the winter.
“I’m afraid that someone is going to either get seriously ill or die,” she told The Journal.
“What is the point of a weather warning, except for the government and all people to take action?
“What about the men around the street? It’s a small group that could be easily accommodated, same day.”
The Department has said that contingency plans to use the buildings on the site as temporary indoor accommodation have been put into action, and all residents will either be moved indoors there, or to another site, before tonight.
“Our team are on site at Crooksling and will remain in place while we work to ensure people are warm and dry,” a spokesperson said.
Mohammed has been staying in Crooksling’s tented accommodation after being moved out of a building on site. He says it’s “very cold these days”.
“Yes, they have put a heater in the tent, but we don’t feel warm,” he said.
“There is no charging site. If you have to charge your phone or your battery pack, you have to go to the canteen.
“When we were living in the buildings the situation was better.”
Other tented accommodation sites, the Department claims, are “managing well”, as they’ve implemented a cold weather contingency plan too.
“Tented accommodation is provided in robust, weather proof tents.
“All IPAS tented accommodation now includes heating inside the tents, and additional bedding and blankets are provided during colder weather.”
The Irish Refugee Council has said the tents are “fundamentally inappropriate for people seeking international protection to be placed in.”
Headon has called the government approach “haphazard”.
“Taking one thing at a time when it’s being raised is just one symptom of this wider issue with the government and their approach to international protection. They do not have a coordinated, holistic plan or strategy.
“It’s so haphazard and the people who suffer the most are the people who are already among the most vulnerable in our society.
“I don’t see how this is happening in 2024 in Ireland, given our wealth and given our history.”
Headon criticised the current process homeless asylum seekers have to go through to get shelter, where an outreach team verifies if someone is sleeping rough before they are offered a bed.
“That means that they have to see you on the street, or see your tent, or some visible sign that this is the situation and condition that you’re in. You have to be at your most vulnerable point to be offered assistance. So it’s, again, reactionary and non preventative.”
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) have put ‘extreme weather’ beds on standby for those sleeping rough during the cold spell.
The DRHE confirmed that there is a total additional capacity of 192 permanent beds in Dublin as part of their Cold Weather Strategy.
They added that 104 further ‘extreme weather’ beds that can be made available in case of extreme weather conditions.
The State is currently sheltering over 32,000 people in over 320 international protection accommodation centres around the country.
It says that, due to a shortage of suitable accommodation, since December 2023 it has not been able to offer accommodation to all adult males seeking international protection.
Some 2,885 single men who have arrived in the last 12 months remain unaccommodated.
The Department of Integration said it will continue to partner with a homeless charity to provide a nightly outreach service to identify people in need of accommodation.
“IPAS is currently able to make offers of accommodation to international protection applicants found actively rough sleeping in the Dublin area and we will continue to actively link with volunteers and advocates to identify people who are rough sleeping and make an offer of accommodation to them.”
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