Many asylum seekers “spend too long” in the direct provision system, the Minister for Justice has said – as it emerges that more than 600 people have been waiting over seven years for a decision on their asylum applications.
In a statement to a Seanad debate on direct provision read out by Community Minister Phil Hogan, Minister Alan Shatter said the much criticised system “facilitates the State providing a roof over the heads of those seeking protection or the right to remain in the State on humanitarian grounds or other reasons.
“It allows the State to do it in a manner that facilitates resources being used economically in circumstances where the State is in financial difficulty,” he added.
Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh had asked Justice to provide a breakdown of the numbers of persons (including their age and gender) who are currently living in each of the 53 direct provision facilities throughout the State, and how long they have been housed in the system.
According to Minister Hogan, some 4,627 people are currently being housed in 34 direct provision centres across the country by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA). These residents, he said, receive full board accommodation and “supportive services”.
The minister also claimed that a comprehensive breakdown of statistics relating to those housed in direct provision would be included for the first time in the upcoming RIA annual report for 2012 (available in the coming days at ria.gov.ie).
In the meantime, Minister Hogan confirmed that as of 18 July this year, a whopping 604 people living in direct provision accommodation – 312 male and 292 female – had made their applications for asylum at least seven years ago.
A further 543 people (245 male and 298 female) have been waiting between five and six years for their applications to be decided. Some 690 (357 male and 333 female) have been waiting between four and five years, 599 people (329 male and 270 female) from three to four years, 484 (253 male and 231 female) from two to three years, 430 (229 male and 201 female) from one to two years, and 575 residents (318 male and 257 female) less than one year.
Due to time constraints, Minister Hogan said he was unable to give a breakdown of the number of adults and minors in the respective male and female statistics.
He went on to add that plans by Minister Shatter to republish the long-awaited Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill “should substantially simplify and streamline the existing arrangements for asylum, subsidiary protection and leave to remain applications” when it becomes law.
