"Not ideal" for International Protection applicants to be housed in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
It's "not ideal" for 80 people to live in the conference facilities of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and they will be rehoused "without delay," Dept of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth says.
80 applicants for International Protection who have been housed in the conference rooms of Páirc Uí Chaoimh since last Tuesday will have alternative accommodation found for them “without delay,” according to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY).
Local residents were notified by email by the GAA on Tuesday, August 30 that the sporting body’s arrangement with the Department of Sport to offer temporary accommodation to refugees would take effect the same day, with 80 people to be temporarily housed in the conference rooms at the Blackrock end of the stadium.
The International Protection applicants would be housed at Páirc Uí Chaoimh “from today, Tuesday, August 30 to Friday, September 23,” the GAA wrote in their email.
However, a date for finding more appropriate accommodation could not be confirmed by the DCEDIY in response to queries by Tripe + Drisheen.
“While it is not ideal for arrivals to stay here, this is being used only as a temporary measure while the Government works to find alternative accommodation without delay,” the DCEDIY press officer said in an emailed statement.
“The provider and facilities manager are doing all they can to make people comfortable. The State continues to try to source new accommodation and to extend accommodation currently in place where possible.”
The end of August saw a rush to move 4,250 Ukrainian IP applicants from student accommodation prior to the start of the college year, with the GAA initially saying it would not be able to accommodate any IP applicants until the winter.
But the DCEDIY would not clarify whether the 80 people were being moved from other accommodation in Ireland, or whether they were new arrivals.
“The persons in the location are international protection applicants who have recently arrived in the State to apply for international protection,” their press officer said. “IP applicants come from a range of diverse countries.”
Páirc Uí Chaoimh staff are providing advice and support to contractors Allpro Facility Management, who have been retained by the DCEDIY to oversee the management of the centre. Allpro are working with existing GAA contractors AOS Security, Brook Foods and Downey's Cleaning Services to provide facilities for IP applicants.