Over 100 homeless asylum seekers are sleeping rough in tents outside the International Protection Office (IPO) on Mount Street. They are just some of the over 1,100 single male asylum seekers who have not been offered accommodation by the government.
While some were provided emergency accommodation after last Friday’s snow, this ended on Sunday – despite the ongoing cold weather.
Tents outside and in the vicinity of the IPO have become a common sight over the last year but, like everything to do with accommodation in Ireland, the situation has gotten worse.
The reason for this is simple, as with all other accommodation provision the state has abdicated its responsibilities and instead relies on the profit-driven private sector to provide housing.
In addition to all the problems faced by the homeless in Ireland these asylum seekers also face the very real threat of far-right violence – as seen in the horrendous attack on the encampment on Sandwith Street last May.
The Green Party pledged to abolish the inhuman direct provision system when entering government but now a Green Party minister, Roderic O’Gorman, is presiding over an even worse situation with asylum seekers left to fend for themselves.
A protest has been called by Social Rights Ireland, Action For Palestine Ireland and TCD SU outside his office in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on Baggot Street Lower on Thursday 7 March at 1pm.