LAST UPDATE | 5 Apr 2023

A NUMBER OF refugees were denied re-entry to the Citywest Transit Hub after a routine fire drill.

In a statement to The Journal, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said it is “standard practice in the Citywest Transit Hub to check the fire alarm on a weekly basis”.

The statement added that the Department “has a responsibility to ensure the safety of both staff and persons on site”.

The spokesperson said “it is also good practice to carry out fire evacuation drills to ensure everyone is well-versed in how to safely evacuate the building if the need arises”.

Such a fire evacuation drill took place at the accommodation quarters of the Citywest Transit Hub yesterday at 2pm, when around 500 people were evacuated from the building in line with these safety regulations.

However, the Department said that it had “become aware that some people were staying at Citywest without specific authority”. 

As people re-entered the building, staff checked all identification cards to verify that they were assigned a place within the Citywest Transit Hub.

The Department added that a “number of people who had previously been requested to leave due to anti-social behaviour were also identified and informed they would not be permitted to re-enter”.

The spokesperson said people “involved in repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour will not be prioritised for accommodation” and that they will have to “apply to be re-accommodated by contacting the IPAS helpdesk”.

Another statement from the Department added:

“Approximately 40 people were informed they would not be permitted to re-enter the Citywest Transit Hub. The majority of these were individuals who regrettably had displayed serious anti-social behaviour in relation to others staying at the Transit Hub.”

“Within this number, approximately 6 people were identified as not having specific authority to stay at CWTH. Separately, approximately 50 people arrived at Citywest yesterday.”

“As the Transit Hub is unfortunately paused for new arrivals at present, these individuals were informed that they had been added to the unaccommodated list, that when accommodation becomes available they will be contacted, and were asked to leave the Transit Hub.”

Gardaí were present and the Department noted that gardaí are regularly present at the premises.

However, the Department spokesperson added: “On this occasion, there was an increased number due to the heightened tension involved in refusing re-entry.”

The spokesperson also said “all International Protection applicants and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection have a responsibility of good conduct towards one another and towards hub staff providing assistance”.

The Department statement added that “the Citywest Hub is at capacity and remains paused to new arrivals until numbers there can be reduced”.

As of yesterday, 488 International Protection applicants have not been accommodated, while 2,475 people have requested accommodation so far this year, as of March 26.