Sir, – Your editorial quite rightly questions how and when the 7,700 people currently living in direct provision can be moved into alternative housing within the lifetime of this Coalition ("The Irish Times view on direct provision: what's the plan?", July 22nd).
Another way of approaching this unjust situation would be to immediately allow all asylum seekers full access to work in all sectors of our economy instead of the present situation where their right to work is being unjustly restricted by ad-hoc regulations. If these work restrictions were removed, asylum-seeking people would be able, like the rest of Irish society, to earn a decent living , rent a house, and live with dignity and cease being totally dependent on State bureaucracy.
For the past 20 years the State has failed to treat asylum seekers as full human beings. This unjust situation cannot be allowed to continue; it must be dismantled now and not in five years. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUTLER,
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Malahide , Co Dublin.