Ireland should not place any limits on the number of asylum seekers allowed into the country, the head of a government-funded migrant advocacy NGO has said.
Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council (which received €330,098 in funding directly from the Irish State in 2022) was speaking on RTÉ’s ‘Prime Time’ this Thursday about Ireland’s current asylum situation.
“Do you think there should be any limits on the number of people who can come into this country for asylum?” he was asked by presenter Miriam O’Callaghan.
“We don’t,” replied Henderson.
Nick Henderson, CEO of the State-funded NGO the Irish Refugee Council, says there should not be "any limits" on the number of asylum seekers Ireland accepts, arguing that Ireland is only accepting a "small proportion" of Europe's refugees.
Credit: RTÉ Prime Time pic.twitter.com/lffwcLLlvM
— Ben Scallan 🇮🇪 (@Ben_Scallan) March 15, 2024
He went on to argue that Ireland had a “fundamental legal obligation to support and give consideration” to all asylum applicants – though he clarified that this didn’t necessarily mean that they could all stay permanently.
“It’s also worth putting in context the number of people who come here,” he continued.
“About 1% of asylum applicants in Europe come to Ireland, and we have about 1.5% of the population. We’re taking a small proportion of Europe’s refugees, and Europe takes a small proportion of the world’s refugees.”
The news comes as the government continues to struggle to find accommodation for asylum seekers, with what some have referred to as a “tent city” forming outside the International Protection Office (IPO) on Mount Street, Dublin.
Gript's @Ben_Scallan reports from the migrant tent city outside the International Protection Office on Mount Street. pic.twitter.com/kjDjPP55rH
— gript (@griptmedia) March 13, 2024
The skid row-like conditions have been observed to be squalid, with pigeons picking at large piles of litter and a noticeable odour hanging in the air, which Newstalk reporter Barry Whyte described as “unbearable” with a “tangible smell of excrement and urine.”
The smell was also noted by Labour Party TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin during a visit to the site earlier this week, saying “These people are effectively homeless. There’s a smell, it’s not safe…”
A makeshift refugee camp, less than 5 minutes from Leinster House, has been made on Mount Street.
The failure of Government to support those seeking asylum in Ireland is unforgivable – @aodhanoriordain
The conditions they expect people to live under is absolutely outrageous. pic.twitter.com/zXAjybFoXE
— The Labour Party (@labour) March 13, 2024
He also said that there were under-18s present at the site.
“There are minors living here – people who are 16-years-of-age, 17-years-of-age,” he said.
Notably, there are no washing facilities or toilets in the vicinity of the tent city, meaning asylum seekers – most of whom are adult men – are forced to go around the corner from the IPO building.
It has been reported that some of the men have contracted diseases, including scabies, which is highly contagious, and also respiratory conditions.
According to Department of Integration figures, there are now 1,260 people who have applied for international protection in Ireland who are still waiting for an offer of accommodation from the State.
Speaking to the Journal.ie this week, Taioseach Leo Varadkar said that it was “crazy” how many asylum seekers were entering Ireland “irregularly” – i.e. illegally – saying: “It’s more than quadrupled since 2019.”
He added: “If you are passing through a safe country, whether it is Britain or France, we cannot guarantee you accommodation in Ireland anymore, and I just have to be honest about that.”
Furthermore, the Taoiseach said this week that it was a “myth” that the government is encouraging people to come to Ireland to claim asylum, saying that most people become asylum seekers due to “push factors” such as “climate change” or “poverty.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it is a “myth” that the government encourages people to come to Ireland to claim asylum, claiming that most people come because of “push factors” such as “climate change.”https://t.co/XOnPLroTzI
— gript (@griptmedia) March 14, 2024