Treatment of rough sleeping asylum seekers called “an affront to humanity”

The treatment of asylum seekers who are sleeping rough on Mount Street has been criticised by members of the opposition.

Around 200 asylum seekers are sleeping rough outside the International Protection office on Mount Street.

People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith said Government’s treatment of international protection applicants is “an affront to humanity”.

The European candidate said that the idea of 200 asylum applicants being forced to sleep rough on Mount Street in Dublin was a “disgrace” and that Government should be “ashamed” of the situation.

Smith said “there are no toilet facilities or waste collection- as a result, the area has become a health hazard, and conditions like scabies are spreading. The government must, at a minimum, provide toilet facilities and refuse collection from the site.”

“The fact that this situation has been allowed to continue makes it seem like the government is deliberately trying to use the situation to deter more people applying to Ireland for asylum.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told reporters that he has “no difficulty” meeting the homeless asylum seekers when he returns to Ireland, but claimed that visiting the site would not “change the situation”.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said the situation is “disgraceful” and is a “shameful reminder of this Government’s failure to get to grips with the immigration crisis.”

“For the hundreds of asylum seekers forced to live in such appalling conditions, this is no longer just a humanitarian crisis – it is becoming a serious public health risk. Lack of sanitation and running water has resulted in health problems for some international protection applicants, with growing cases of skin and respiratory conditions reported.

“These extremely vulnerable people have come to Ireland seeking the protection of the State, only to find themselves sleeping outdoors in freezing and wet conditions, living in constant fear of attack.”

“There are now over 1,200 international protection applicants around the country without a bed. For months, Minister O’Gorman has been promising a plan to deal with the accommodation shortage facing asylum seekers. We need to see this plan brought forward as a matter of urgency.

Whitmore stated the crisis is deliberate, saying it is now Government policy to discourage refugees from coming to Ireland.

A volunteer group working with asylum seekers sleeping in tents says a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Dublin City Centre. A number of the men have scabies, others have respiratory conditions | Read more: https://t.co/AV0kzRIGJ3 pic.twitter.com/dmQcF1qOVN

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 12, 2024

A recent poll by The Journal showed that immigration is among the top issues on voters’ minds.

Research carried out by the outlet found that 33% of those polled would vote for a candidate with “strong anti-immigration views” while 33% of those polled said they would not.

Political analysts have posited that the Government, and other political parties, have turned rightward on migration issues in recent months in a bid to win over voters.

Varadkar said that he supports the European People’s Party’s policy to deport refugees to “safe” third countries, which critics have described as similar to the UK Conservatives’ Rwanda plan.

Fine Gael sits with the European People’s Party at a European level and the grouping is tipped to become the biggest party following June’s European elections.

Parties within the European People’s Party are nominally centre-right in terms of ideology but have attempted to co-opt positions of parties to their right following strong election performances by far-right parties in the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and Portugal in recent elections.