Senator Sharon Keogan has told the Seanad that the public “have a right to know ” where tented accommodation sites will be, as the Independent politician blasted “non-existent public consultation” from the government.
The Meath Senator said that she had received recent confirmation that Thornton Hall in Meath is set to become a “tent city.” Senator Keogan said on Wednesday that she had been briefed by the Civic Engagement Group for the Department of Integration, along with other Oireachtas members, who were “shocked” to learn that the tender for the accommodation had already been awarded.
Senator Keogan said the contracts had been signed, despite there being “absolutely no amenities for for human living conditions available at that site.” She said she had further received confirmation from the Head of the Department’s Civic Engagement team that those due to be housed at the site are “single men only.”
“Men will be housed in shared tents on five acres on the 30 acre facility, which in my estimation, could reach 1,000 applicants on that portion of land,” she said. Senator Keogan further pressed Justice Minister Helen McEntee, saying that she had been told at the meeting that Thornton Hall was just one of six State-owned sites currently being assessed for similar style emergency and tent accommodation.
“So where are these sites, Minister? The public have a right to know,” she said.
Speaking on Wednesday afternoon as statements were given on Migration, Senator Keogan pointed to government figures which showed that at the end of April this year, there were 5,644 people remaining in IPAS accommodation who have been granted a form of status (such as refugee status, subsidiary protection status, or status to leave or remain).
“When these people are granted their status, they are permitted to avail of the rent allowance or the housing assistance payment, similar to the 60,000 Irish people currently on the social housing list,” she explained.
“However, these 5,644 people remain in the IPAS accommodation system getting free accommodation, free meals, free medical card, free energy, etc etc etc… all at the cost of the taxpayer. This of course is causing the clog in the system and keeping beds from incoming refugees, forcing thousands to stay in tents in cities across this country.”
She said that this “mismanagement” was now a “huge source and cause of public anger and the lack of faith in this government.”
Continuing, she said: “Tent cities, homeless encampments, and other dangerous community conditions result in dangerous social conditions for families, residents, and asylum seekers alike. I know of many, many providers who are currently contracted by your Department, Minister O’Gorman, for over the last two years, to provide accommodation to Ukrainian refugees, who notified the department when vacancies became available – and the department failed to put any replacement persons into these accommodations. The taxpayer is paying for empty rooms, and this is happening on your watch.”
“This has been going on for over a year, and Minister, I understand that you only recently started to carry out inspections,” she told Minister McEntee.
THORNTON HALL TO BE ‘CONVERTED INTO TENT CITY’
Senator Keogan went on to detail proposals around Thornton Hall in Meath, which has been the site of continued protests in recent months.
“Today I must address the dangerous proposal of this government to convert Thornton Hall, and you are aware of this Minister McEntee, into a tent city for the overcrowded accommodation system.
“I was briefed by the Civic Engagement Group for the Department of Integration along with other Oireachtas members of the Meath East North Dublin area regarding the proposal, and we were shocked to learn that the tender for the accommodation for Thornton Hall had been awarded. The contracts were signed, and absolutely no amenities fit for human living conditions were available on that site. So are we paying the contractors, and from what date?
“Miss Evelyn Byrne, Head of the Civic Engagement team, clarified that those due to be housed at that site are single men only. Men will be housed in shared tents on five acres on the 30 acre facility, which in my estimation, could reach 1,000 applicants on that portion of land. The number of those who will reside remains unspecified – in the meeting we were told that there were just over 30,000 people in the IPAS system, and that Thornton Hall is one of six State-owned sites currently being assessed for similar style emergency and tent accommodation. So where are these sites, Minister? The public have a right to know.
“The one at Thornton Hall isn’t fit for habitation. The ones they are proposing are inhumane, with unresourced conditions, with no on site toilet or temporary shower facilities. There is no regular transport to and from that site agreed in the contract. Time and time again, the polls show migration is one of the biggest issues the public cares about. Non-existent public consultation, yet again.”
She described this as “another disaster for the community engagement team and the Department of Integration.”
“This is not how you do business. We simply cannot continue to take the numbers in. We’ve had 680 in the last ten days, Minister. We’re heading for 30,000 this year – without the new EU Migration Pact solidarity figure built into that figure.
“Part of the [EU Migration Pact plan) is to allocate new turnkey properties. How do you think this plan will have the support of the 60,000 people who are currently on the social housing list?”
The Senator said that the focus should be on Ireland and others helping to economically support countries which had been “drained with the support of the EU,” where people were migrating from.
“These countries have been drained, with the support of the EU. And instead of us trying to help those countries develop economically – that’s really what we should be doing. The people that are coming from these countries need to be staying [in those countries] to develop their own nations. But Minister, it’s a mess, and it’s not getting any better. We’re not getting in control of the situation. It’s all very well talking about all the lovely things that are happening, but that’s really just the fluff around the chaos that is there at this moment in time.”
Minister Roderic O’Gorman admitted that accommodating such a large number of people in a short number of time had “presented challenges.” The State, he said, was currently not in a position to accommodate 2,300 single male international protection applicants, who had not been offered accommodation by the State.
“Working with statutory agencies and homeless services, almost 200 people have been accommodated in the last two weeks through these referrals,” he added.
“Those not offered accommodation are now receiving an increased expense allowance of €113.80 a week. This reflects a €75 increase which was applied earlier this year, bringing Ireland in line with similar payments made to applicants in other EU Member States.”
Meanwhile, Senator Michael McDowell told Wednesday’s debate that “we have to ask ourselves some fundamental questions” given that Ireland was facing a situation where “no matter what the Minister does,” it was not possible for people to be offered non-tented accommodation.
He said people felt “fear and apprehension” about the future of their local communities “if large numbers of people are accommodated in single centres in certain locations.”
“I understand those fears, but I understand the State must live up to its current international obligations. My point is this: The Minister has spoken about the volume of international protection applicants being in the range of twenty to thirty thousand a year in Ireland and in the future.
“We’re not going to be in a position, and the EU MIgration Pact, I believe is a great illusion, we’re not going to be in the position to turn them around in three months, and send the working majority of them home by deportation flights. I was a Minister, I tried to organise deportation flights, and I know how difficult and how futile that kind of approach actually is.
“The simple fact is that we’re also facing a situation where the Minister’s colleague, the Minister for Justice, has told the Committee of this House that she believes that 80 per cent of IPAS applicants are coming here via the United Kingdom. We have to wise up, and see, why is that? Why are they coming here rather than remaining in the United Kingdom? Are they more likely to receive a more compassionate approach?”