Sir, – I am heartened that commentators are making the link between the lives of asylum-seekers in “direct provision” hostels and Ireland’s history of forced institutionalisation.
The first of these centres was established in Co Cork in 1999 and soon many more were opened around the country. During that period for every hostel opened a local volunteer- led organisation developed to welcome and respond to the needs of the residents of these hostels.
Sadly, our spontaneous voluntary local response has never been matched at government level and we have failed to convince government to provide for the human needs of asylum-seekers. The paltry living allowance of €19.10 per week (€9.60 for children without access to “universal” child benefit) is testament to this injustice. Why €19.10? That’s £15 in old money, and remains unchanged since 1999. – Yours, etc,