Spotlight on Direct Provision

Asylum seekers, while having authorised presence in the State, are not entitled to any other social welfare payment (including child benefit) and cannot seek or enter employment, on pain of criminal conviction. A number of other supports are provided to asylum seekers, including education up to leaving certificate level (if person is of an appropriate age) and entitlement to a medical card. Since May 2009, asylum seekers have been definitively disentitled to any other social security/welfare payment, other tha n direct provision allowance, as asylum seekers are legally barred from gaining habitual residence in Ireland. At the end of January 2015 , there were 1, 482 children resident in direct provision accommodation as part of a family unit. While figures for length of time children remain in direct provision accomodation are not provided, given the fact that the average length of stay within accomodation centres is generally 48 months (4 years), this significantly impacts on the rights of the child