Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Dec 2000

Vol. 164 No. 19

Adjournment Matter. - Asylum Seekers' Accommodation.

Mr. Costello

I am delighted the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is here. The purpose of raising this matter on the Adjournment is to try to persuade him to find a different location for the 500 or 600 asylum seekers he intends to locate in the Mosney Holiday Centre. It is not a suitable centre for a number of reasons, particularly because it is the venue for the national Community Games. I, the Dublin Community Games, the national Community Games and many families who have used the centre for their holidays over the years regard the proposal as unsatisfactory.

This centre has been used for the Community Games national finals and for at least 40 sporting and cultural activities, under the auspices of the Dublin Community Games, in which thousands of children from County Dublin and Dublin City participate. Another centre would not be suitable for these activities. The thousands of children who participate annually in the Community Games stay in the holiday cabins. It is also the venue for many sporting and cultural activities. The Minister will deprive people of this venue for the foreseeable future.

As well as being the venue for the Community Games, the Mosney venue is also used widely by families from Dublin, particularly from areas in my constituency on the north side of the city, and from the north east of the country, including Meath, Louth and north Dublin. It is also a common venue during the marching season in the North. Many families come down from the North during July and August, given that it is not a suitable location for families with young children at that time of the year. It serves a major function in that sense as a reasonable holiday home venue for thousands of working class children and families. That is the second reason the Minister should reconsider the proposal.

The third reason he should reconsider the proposal is that he would be creating a degree of ghettoisation by housing large numbers of people together. This would effectively create the old concept of detention centre or remand centre. This is not the proper way to deal with the asylum seeker issue under best practice. It is certainly not acceptable to the Irish Refugee Council which has complained strongly about the proposal, as have those in charge of the Community Games. Amnesty International has spoken out against the proposal. There are many reasons we should seek an alternative venue.

There is growing opposition to this proposal. I attended a meeting during the week organised by the managers of the Community Games. Large numbers of public representatives attended and they are launching a campaign to try to preserve the Mosney Holiday Centre as a venue for the Community Games. I do not know what assurances the Minister can give in relation to this matter. Perhaps there is a possibility of an alternative site. It would be better if the location could remain free to continue with the functions and activities for which it is currently used.

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I thank Senator Costello for giving me the opportunity to respond to this matter in the Seanad.

The number of asylum seekers entering the country has increased dramatically in recent years. The current rate of arrival is in excess of 1,000 per month and, on the basis of recent trends, it is anticipated that approximately 12,000 applications for asylum will be made this year – that was the figure I predicted almost a year ago. The significant increase in persons applying for refugee status has resulted in an acute shortage of accommodation in the greater Dublin area. At this point, the supply of accommodation in the greater Dublin area has been virtually exhausted. Apart from the shortage of accommodation in Dublin, it is not desirable from an integration point of view to have all asylum seekers located in the capital.

In line with overall Government policy and allied to the lack of accommodation in the Dublin area, it is necessary to source suitable accommodation throughout the country on an ongoing basis. The alternative where asylum seekers would have to resort to sleeping on the street and in parks is simply unacceptable. In the longer term, my aim and that of the Government is to achieve a fair and balanced distribution of asylum seekers throughout the country. In the meantime, all suitable offers of accommodation are considered and where practical and feasible are brought into use.

In line with this policy, the Directorate for Asylum Support Services, which is responsible, inter alia, for meeting the accommodation needs of asylum seekers, has entered into an agreement with the proprietor of Mosney Holiday Centre following an approach by him for the provision of accommodation and ancillary services for asylum seekers on part of the holiday centre site.

It is important that the House is aware that procuring accommodation for asylum seekers in the quantity required presents a huge challenge to the State. Essentially, this demand is driven by the numbers of persons who arrive on our shores to seek asylum, each of whom is entitled to the basic requirement of a roof over his or her head. There is no gainsaying that and, in the circumstances, it would have been most unwise of the directorate to spurn this offer of accommodation. The House will also be aware that the facility at Mosney was used to accommodate those who fled from part of the Six Counties in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

It should not be assumed at this stage that the accommodation of asylum seekers on part of the site at Mosney and the holding of the ESB Community Games at Mosney cannot co-exist. The making available of any balance of the facilities on the site at Mosney to the ESB Community Games is a matter, in the first instance, for the proprietor. At their request, I am meeting representatives of the ESB Community Games today, 7 December, to explore with them what support I can give to facilitate the continuation of the games at Mosney.

I am approaching this meeting with an open mind and I am anxious to explore any options that may exist in this respect. At the insistence of the directorate, a clause was inserted in the memorandum of agreement governing the use of Mosney which specifically allows for the use of the facility for special events such as the holding of the Community Games finals, subject to the agreement of the parties to the memorandum.

I state categorically that the centre at Mosney is neither a remand nor a detention centre. We do not have detention or remand centres for asylum seekers. I stress that I cannot allow a situation where women and children must sleep on the streets. I must ensure that all asylum seekers are housed, and at times this is a very difficult task. People seem to underestimate the real difficulty in finding accommodation for 1,000 people per month. It is a very difficult task, one which causes a lot of administrative difficulties. However, I am pleased that we are coping.

On criticisms by groups in relation to the Mosney option, I can say without fear or favour, whatever about people's criticisms, that I have done a lot more on behalf of asylum seekers than most of my critics.

Mr. Costello

The Minister might mention to the Community Games representatives that the matter was raised in this House.

Mr. O'Donoghue

Certainly.

The Seanad adjourned at 15.40 p.m. until 14.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 13 December 2000.