More Asylum Seekers in 'Direct Provision' than Prisoners in Jail

On
April 10th, the system of direct provision for asylum seekers will be 14 years
old.

In
2000 a system was put in place offering asylum seekers bed and board
accommodation, and a small allowance of €19.10 a week per adult, with an
additional €9.60 a week per child. The system of direct provision also provides
health care through the medical card scheme, education up to the age of 18 for
children of asylum seekers or children seeking asylum themselves. Asylum
seekers are not entitled to any other form of welfare payment.

 

By
the end of April 2000, there were 394 people in direct provision centres. At
the start of 2014, there were 4,360 people in direct provision. This compares
to a prison population of 4,053 in Ireland in February 2014. There are more
than 1,600 people who have spent five or more years in direct provision. Over
3,000 people have been in direct provision centres for two or more years.