Concern over education of 32 teenage asylum-seekers

The education of 32 teenage asylum-seekers is at risk following a decision to move them from children's accommodation into adult lodgings some distance from their schools.

The teenagers, who arrived in Ireland as unaccompanied minors, are from Nigeria, Romania, Ghana and South Africa.

They had been living at a hostel in Dún Laoghaire and were receiving €119 per week to buy their own food and personal items.

However, because they have reached the age of 18, they are being moved out of the health board-funded accommodation and into an adult centre in Killiney under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice. Their new accommodation is about five miles away from their schools. They are to move this morning. They will be on "direct provision", in receipt of €19 per week plus their board.

The young people are in their 6th year and due to sit their Leaving Cert in June.

Though none would speak to journalists yesterday, their year head in Holy Child Community School in Sallynoggin, Ms Peggy Lawlor, said she feared they will drop out of school because of the move.

Though legally the East Coast Area Health Board may hand over responsibility for child asylum-seekers to the Department of Justice once they reach 18, under Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 a health board may continue to assist a minor though they have reached 18 "for so long as the board is satisfied as to his need for assistance".

A health board may assist a young person "by arranging for the completion of his education and by contributing to his maintenance while he is completing his education".

Ms Mary King, of the Dún Laoghaire Refugee Support Group, said there was "a verbal agreement" with the health board that the youths would be left in situ until June. "It just isn't right to disrupt them like this when they have settled in here."

She said she was concerned they would drop out of education as it would be too difficult to stay on at school on €19 a week.

As well as having to pay for transport between Killiney and Dún Laoghaire (about €5.20 per week on the DART) the €19 will have to cover daytime food over and above their packed lunch and all stationery.

A spokesman said there was no way the East Coast Area Health Board could allow "children and adults to be accommodated together".