EHB to undertake review of welfare for asylum-seekers

The Eastern Health Board says it expects to complete a review of the welfare payments it makes to asylum-seekers by October. The review was agreed without a vote by board members who attended an EHB meeting last week.

It was called for by Fianna Fail TD Mr Ivor Callely, who proposed a motion seeking a review of procedures for "asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants who avail of supplementary welfare allowance scheme, rent allowance, B&B and hotel accommodation, exceptional needs payments, clothing and footwear allowances, fuel allowances and other such payments".

Mr Callely, an outspoken critic of spending on asylum-seekers, said after the meeting that he would "not be hindered in his efforts on the situation regarding asylum-seekers".

He added: "We should not be expected to finance non-deserving applicants who have no prospect or indeed right to be admitted to this country while genuine applicants experience unacceptable delays."

The estimated cost of housing asylum-seekers in emergency accommodation such as B&Bs and hotels was £16.7 million this year, the EHB meeting was told. This is funded by local authorities, mainly Dublin Corporation. Spending up to the end of May was just over £5 million.

A further £5.1 million will be spent this year on rent supplements for asylum-seekers; this is funded by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.

Responding to further questions from Mr Callely, the chief executive officer of the EHB, Mr P.J. Fitzpatrick, said that £67,000 had been paid to asylum-seekers in clothing and footwear allowances in the first three months of this year.