Editorial: Government should focus on reality, not aspiration, of asylum-seeker housing policy

The Dáil was told the Government was working on identifying accommodation that could be used to house asylum-seekers. The lack of availability of accommodation for international protection applicants has unquestionably been exacerbated by the housing shortage in the country as a whole.

However, the increase in the number of applicants has also made it extremely difficult to keep up with the demand. A report from the European Migration Network revealed a 415pc increase in the number of applicants to Ireland last year. Let’s be clear, the invasion of Ukraine played a large part in that increase. The report said immigration to Ireland in 2022 was driven by the war Russia declared on Ukraine, the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and shortages in the labour market.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission says international protection applicants – who may have experienced persecution, trauma or destitution prior to arriving here – are among the most vulnerable members of our society. A failure by the State to provide shelter to them puts these individuals at high risk on the streets, particularly at a time of anti-immigrant sentiment.

The Department of Integration has been constantly playing catch-up in trying to source accommodation, and this has created tensions in some communities.

While the Government cannot and should not allow protesters to have a veto over who lives in an area, there are legitimate concerns about the ability of doctors’ and schools’ community facilities to cope.

However, there are success stories of parts of the system holding together against the odds.

The Department of Education says 17,880 Ukrainian pupils have been enrolled in schools across Ireland over the 18-month period since the war began. Close to 12,000 of these pupils are in primary schools.

However, anti-immigrant sentiment has also been fomented by sinister elements.

The level of communication with communities where asylum-seekers will be based is always going to be challenging. But the policy of notifying communities of plans for impending arrivals is to be welcomed, even if it does run the risk of protests being organised.

The enormous increase of asylum-seekers has put paid to the Government’s policy to end direct provision. Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman will today give an update to a conference hosted by the Children’s Rights Alliance on the latest position. The group acknowledges the context in which the commitments were made has “changed drastically”.

When the accommodation system is so strained, there is no hope of ending direct provision for the foreseeable future. Given his political investment, the minister may not wish to state it so baldly, but all state and non-governmental groups should now be focused on the pragmatism of the accommodation crisis, rather than aspirations.