INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION APPLICANTS say it is devastating to be left out in the cold as the government ends a brief provision of emergency accommodation in the wake of the snowfall on Friday morning.
One man who spent two nights indoors but is now back in a tent in the Mount Street area in Dublin city centre said the situation is “inhumane”.
Snow fell quickly in Dublin and other counties early on Friday morning. The scale of the snowfall went beyond what Met Éireann had expected, catching the country by surprise.
International protection applicants who have not been provided with accommodation have been living in tents near the International Protection Office, with several dozen sleeping rough in the area at a time.
When the temperatures dropped and snow fell on Friday, the homeless asylum seekers were outside in the icy cold with nowhere to go. Many saw their tents collapse and belongings drenched.
After outcry over the situation, Department of Integration, which oversees accommodation for asylum seekers, arranged for temporary emergency accommodation to be provided “due to the current extreme weather”. The Dublin Regional Homeless Executive also provided 40 beds for people sleeping rough who are not asylum seekers.
However, the Department of Integration confirmed yesterday that it was ending the temporary shelter, despite nighttime temperatures dropping to near freezing last night and strong winds forecast for today.
The Journal visited Mount Street this morning where dozens of international protection applicants have returned.
Their tents are lined up on the path, with some of them tied together or with an extra tarpaulin on top of them to try to bring a little extra shelter.
One man from South Africa, who was trying to shore up his tent, recounted being made to leave the temporary shelter yesterday after spending two nights there. He said it was devastating to have to leave.
The man said the situation was “inhumane” and that the cold weather is very difficult to endure in the tents. He said that he was in a car crash years ago that resulted in him having surgery on his leg, and that sleeping outside in the bitter cold causes pain in his leg.
Despite that, he said he has to walk every day to access facilities to shower and to get food.
The man said he wishes there were even some slight improvement that could be made to protect them from the elements, or a “good Samaritan” or a “church” that would step in to help. “Even a basement,” he said. “Even somewhere with a wall to stop the wind.”
As he spoke, the wind was whipping through the nearby tents, making them shake and beat against the brick wall.
Further down the street was a group of four men from Bhutan.
One of the men said he did not receive the temporary accommodation over the weekend and was still sleeping rough during the “unbearable” cold.
Another one of the men said that they have been here for around two months, and that they have no idea what their future will look like.
The Irish Refugee Council has criticised the department’s decision to end the temporary accommodation, with CEO Nick Henderson saying it was “appalling” that people would be “put back out onto the streets”.
Over the last several months, it has become increasingly common for some international protection applicants presenting to the IPO to not be provided accommodation. It is understood that priority is being given to families and to individuals who are deemed most vulnerable to receive some form of accommodation.
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