Dublin's refugee service crisis
It was coming. Anyone could see it. The staff in the Refugee
Application Centre at 11 Mount Street, the one stop shop for
registration, money for something to eat, accommodation, legal advice,
and counselling, shut its doors on Monday, 8 November. Refugees who
had queued since 2am the night before, were left with no money,
nowhere to sleep, nowhere to go, no one to help.
A refugee a few weeks ago was found in the toilet, attempting
suicide. It was said that last Friday the head social worker at the
centre had resigned. The job was unbearable. More than a hundred
distraught people every day looking for help, for accommodation. On
Wednesday, they doubled the staff to 20. But still there is nowhere to
sleep.
None, only because the government has let a housing crisis gallop
out of all control, allowing landowners and landlords to profiteer at
will and regardless of thousands of people who suffer in unsafe,
insecure, unfit housing.
The owner of Tathony House, Dublin 8, just one of the `hostels' for
refugees, has over 60 asylum seekers double bunked into rooms and
earns £18 per person per night - £400,000 per annum.
Forget Ireland of the thousand welcomes. It is Ireland's shame.
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