Asylum Seeker figures soar alarmingly as refugee crisis spirals

Figures have doubled over the course of just 12 months.

Latest figures show that as of March 5th, 20,001 people were being housed by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), a doubling of the figures from just one year ago. It is the first time in history of the state that the number of people in state accommodation for asylum seekers has moved above the alarmingly high tally of 20,000. Over a quarter of these people are being housed via the direct-provision system, in spite of the fact they have secured their legal status to remain in the country. [caption id="attachment_770396" align="alignnone" width="640"] The availability of emergency accommodation is at full capacity. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption] A concerning breakdown of these figures is the information that over 20% of those housed by the state are children, with just shy of 4,100 underage refugees recorded. The type of accommodation the asylum seekers were afforded was also noted, with 11,709 people being housed in emergency accommodation centres such as hotels and B&B's, and roughly 7,000 people in the contentious direct-provision centres. These ever-increasing figures have seen some asylum seekers have their request for accommodation turned down, with the state unable to facilitate in their housing. [caption id="attachment_770397" align="alignnone" width="640"] The housing crisis is a key political issue. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption]

Ireland averaging 24 asylum-seeker arrivals each day

In February, 255 people were unable to obtain housing from IPAS, although 103 of that figure have since been offered accommodation of some sort. State-supported accommodation is viewed by the government as a helping hand on the path to people ultimately securing their own permanent residence. However, just 118 people moved out of IPAS accommodation in February. So far in 2023, Ireland has averaged 24 asylum seeking arrivals each day, adding to a situation which is already on the precipice of disaster. [caption id="attachment_770398" align="alignnone" width="640"] It's been a week to forget for the Taoiseach. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption] The worrying figures regarding the sharp increase in those in state accommodation compounds what has been a dire week for the coalition government, as they struggle to come to grips with Ireland's well-publicised housing shortage. On Monday, the government announced that the Pandemic measure of eviction bans would be lifted. Whilst on Wednesday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar suffered a PR disaster as it emerged he has recently become a registered landlord. Finally, Friday capped off a tumultuous week at Leinster House as the tenant-in-situ scheme was rendered a failure, with a success rate of just 2.8% in helping local authorities purchase prospective emergency accommodation from landlords. Related Articles:

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