Almost one in four asylum-seekers living in "direct provision" centres in Cork are dissatisfied with the condition of their accommodation, a new survey shows.
Complaints about overcrowding, poor food and lack of play and homework space for children are among the issues raised in the report released yesterday by NASC, the Cork-based Irish Immigrant Support Centre.
The report calls for the abolition of the policy of direct provision, whereby asylum-seekers are allocated full-board accommodation with meals and laundry services provided and, in return, receive reduced basic weekly social welfare payments of €19 per adult. It says Government funds should be urgently redirected to building affordable social housing.
It also says asylum-seekers should be given the right to work and to access full-time education, and calls for "a more holistic and needs-based approach to their reception and integration". The "needs analysis" report was carried out in late 2001 when there were 1,476 asylum-seekers and refugees living in Cork city and county, with about 640 living in direct provision centres.
Seventy-seven asylum-seekers were surveyed for the report, "The Needs of Asylum-Seekers", by its author, Ms Aoife Collins from the Irish Centre for Migration Studies.
The main findings include:
Nearly 80 per cent of people in direct provision centres were dissatisfied with the condition of their accommodation and more than 98 per cent would like to live in private accommodation.
The majority of people rated as poor or unacceptable the food served in the centres, the lack of play and homework space for children, the overcrowding and unsuitable living and sleeping conditions and a lack of cooking and washing facilities.
More than 70 per cent of people were dissatisfied with the food in accommodation centres and would like to cook for themselves if allowed.
Many would like to see a wider variety of foods of different ethnic origins.
The majority of people praised the friendliness and approachability of staff in accommodation centres.
93 per cent of those without the right to work said they would like to work if allowed.
82 per cent of people had worked before coming to Ireland in fields including teaching, banking, trade, nursing, the service industry and a range of other professions.
52 per cent said they had insufficient information about their status as asylum-seekers.
The report concludes that current asylum policies partially meet the basic needs of asylum-seekers in Cork, but do not meet "basic psychological needs for safety and security, or higher needs which promote self-esteem and social well-being.
"As long as the basic needs of asylum-seekers are not being adequately met, people will live in an atmosphere of insecurity and instability and will be limited in their capacity for personal development and their ability to live with self-respect."
NASC's co-ordinator, Mr Brendan Hennessy, said the survey reinforced its view that policies such as dispersal and direct provision have "a considerably negative impact on asylum-seekers. It proves that by not allowing people to work or access full-time education, we have isolated asylum-seekers from the host community in Cork, and this situation has bred misunderstanding, ignorance and racism".