The issue of food, health and accommodation for asylum-seekers is "very complex", according to Mr Michael Gibbons, hostel-owner at Dun Gibbons in Clifden, Co Galway.
He believes that the much criticised system of direct provision, whereby asylum-seekers receive a direct weekly stipend of £15, and food and accommodation from the State, does have some value.
"People naturally wish to have their own home and cook for themselves. However, this is not possible for most people initially unless they are transferred to Mosney, Co Meath, or Athlone, Co Westmeath, or elsewhere where people can live in caravan units," Mr Gibbons says. "However, when given the option to move to Athlone, residents here in Clifden will always vote to stay."
Direct provision works well for most people to begin with, he says. "It gives them a chance to rest, get acclimatised and settle in a strange new world.
It provides crucially a support group of fellow asylum-seekers, which they keep in contact with and learn from.
"Almost all centres now have English classes. Staff in centres are the first and continuing point of contact for people, and they do a huge amount of additional work to their regular jobs. This includes phoning for houses, jobs, dealing with banks, booking appointments with the legal service, dentists and doctors, arranging taxis, liaising with social services, schools and night classes.
"We are fortunate in having staff fluent in French and German, and, up to recently, one of our night-class teachers also had Portuguese. It helps with getting medical and social services to a group. It is less traumatic for many, especially women and children who get a break. They often end up terribly isolated with husbands away a lot.
"We have large family rooms and also offer internal screens, an offer taken up by a handful of places. Most good centres now have large family rooms with en suite facilities, on-site laundry rooms, classrooms and playrooms - when supervision is available."
He says that after settling in, the main aim of asylum-seekers is to get their own home, and all avenues are pursued.
"People will use the food, bad housing, cramped rooms, bad schools, in fact any reason - some are genuine, most are not - in the hope of getting a housing allowance," Mr Gibbons says.
"Some people's desire to get out of centres is driven by monetary needs also, as they can get full social welfare allowances and benefits. The extra cash often goes towards paying back loans to relations and friends.
"Most centres cater for a mix of nationalities, and this works well, with widely ranging tastes, traditions and hygiene standards. Allowing people to work in a communal kitchen simply does not work and is not permitted for very legitimate reasons," he says.
"We tried it in a limited way at the beginning when we had 25 people here.
"Our cookers were burnt out, fridges wrecked, cutlery and delph stolen and it led to huge tensions among different groups ... for example, east African food is as different from west African food as ours is from Greek."