The Government is closing nine centres around the State which accommodate almost 500 asylum seekers, following a significant decrease in the numbers of people seeking refugee status.
The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) has told owners of centres in Clare, Cork, Carlow, Dublin, Galway, Offaly, Tipperary and Kerry that it will not renew their contracts, The Irish Times has learned. They will close between now and mid-October.
The move is expected to save the State millions of euro, but has drawn criticism from support groups who say asylum seekers who have resided in these centres for up to two years are being transferred to other facilities without consultation or adequate notice.
The RIA has confirmed that the following centres are being closed, or face closure:
The Maltings, Birr, Co Offaly; Clodagh Bar, Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary; Milverton House, Carlow, Co Carlow; North Quay Place, Cork; Village House, Glenbeigh, Co Kerry; Montpellier Apartments, Dublin 7; Corofin Holiday Hostel, Corofin, Co Clare; The Quiet Man Hostel, Cong, Co Galway; and Vee Valley, Clogheen, Co Tipperary.
The drop in numbers is due to two factors: the processing of applications of people seeking leave to remain in Ireland on the basis of having an Irish-born child, and a general decrease in people seeking asylum.
Officials estimate that, of the 18,000 people seeking leave to remain in Ireland on the basis of having an Irish-born child, 3,500 are in the direct provision accommodation system. Many of these people have left the system following successful applications.
The number seeking asylum is also falling, having reduced from 11,600 in 2002 to 4,800 in 2004. There has also been a 7 per cent decrease in the number this year.
The closure of the North Quay accommodation centre in Cork, which provides accommodation to more than 200 asylum seekers, has attracted particular anger from Nasc (the Irish Immigrant Support Centre).
In a statement, it said: "Many of North Quay Place's residents have been living there for more than two years and have settled in this city. Why has the Government chosen to close down one of the few centres which has good access to services, offers some level of independent living, and is by far the most popular one in the Cork area amongst the asylum-seeking community?".
Commercial management firms, catering companies, churches and hotel owners received €83 million last year for providing accommodation and ancillary services to asylum seekers, new figures show. These groups weekly receive between €189 and €230 per person they accommodate.
The funding, increased by €7 million over the previous year, is paid by the RIA to accommodate almost 8,000 asylum seekers at 84 centres around the State.
Nasc, meanwhile, has called on officials to consult with residents to ensure those who have commitments in Cork can stay in the area for the duration of their time in the asylum system.
The group added: "The Government itself must take responsibility for the slowness of the system and accept the consequences - which is that people do carry on with their lives and develop networks, supports, friendships and relationships in a particular place."
