Some 70 asylum-seekers protested outside the gates of the reception and accommodation centre at Mosney, Co Meath, yesterday to demand the right to work while their applications for asylum are being decided.
The location of the centre, five miles south of Drogheda and a 30-minute walk from the nearest bus stop, was criticised by the protesters. Asylum-seekers staying there are also unhappy with the system by which prepared meals, mainly based on an Irish diet, are provided at set times. Asylum-seekers receive a welfare benefit of approximately €19 a week.
Some of the protesters said they were qualified and could work and pay taxes in jobs ranging from teaching to mechanics.
"There are healthy young men here who are rusting away and having to eat out of other people's pockets. We have skills and can work at anything and want to pay taxes," said one man.
A number of the protesters said that, while they were happy to be in Ireland and wanted to live here, they found that being unable to work or support themselves was affecting their mental health.
"There are people here with depression because of where they are. We have left countries because we had to and now are demanding our freedom to be part of society here," another woman added.
One mother with a baby said she had been put into a two-bedroom chalet with a married couple, which was not suitable.
A Cuban man living at the centre said he had been on hunger-strike for nine days. Mr Alexander Reyes said he was refusing food to highlight the fact that asylum-seekers were prevented from working. He has been in Mosney for about three months and was yesterday sleeping on the ground beside the main security hut.
The Department of Justice said it was not making any comment, but confirmed that with over 700 people the Mosney accommodation centre was the largest single reception centre in the State. It said the facilities on site were comprehensive and probably the best available.
A spokeswoman also said there was no right to work for asylum-seekers, and there was no plan to change that.