Direct support planned for asylum-seekers

A new scheme to provide food, clothes and accommodation directly to asylum-seekers is being developed by the Government to replace social welfare payments.

The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, received the go-ahead from Cabinet last week to draw up a scheme of direct supports for about 9,000 asylum-seekers who will receive an estimated £32 million in social welfare payments this year.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs denied reports yesterday that it was intended to introduce a voucher system for asylum-seekers and house them in Army barracks. "The Cabinet rejected the idea of a voucher system and the question of Army barracks was not considered", she said.

The development of a scheme of direct supports to asylum-seekers was approved, in principle, by Cabinet last Tuesday when Mr O'Donoghue presented a report on a discussion paper published by the British Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, last July. It is understood fears were expressed that a voucher system in Britain could lead to an increase in the numbers of people seeking asylum here because of higher social welfare payments. It was decided to use "direct provision" rather than vouchers, as vouchers were abused in the past.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Left spokeswoman on Justice, Ms Liz McManus, criticised reports that the Minister was planning to remove social welfare payments from asylum-seekers and replace them with some unspecified voucher system.