‘Bizarre’ focus on accommodation for asylum seekers, Harris says

There is a “bizarre” focus on accommodation for asylum seekers, the Taoiseach has said.

The Government remains in a position where it cannot provide accommodation to all asylum seekers.

There are currently 1,780 male international protection applicants who have not received an offer of State-provided accommodation, amid an increasing number of arrivals.

However, Simon Harris said the conversation on migration “cannot begin and end” with accommodation.

Speaking on Thursday, he said: “I don’t think migrants are well served, I don’t think people of Ireland are well served by the only aspect of the conversation around immigration that we’ve been having on a loop for quite a period of time is around accommodation.”

He said while accommodation is “extremely important”, there was a need to examine other aspects such as the welfare system and comparisons with other EU countries.

Asked about a prediction that 30,000 asylum seekers could arrive in the country this year, Mr Harris said: “Different people can make different predictions.

“At the moment, if you were to extrapolate the data to date you’re probably at a figure of between 20,000-22,000.

“But its a dynamic situation. Numbers go up, numbers go down. But at the moment that’s roughly what you get.”

Mr Harris defined “getting on top of it” as a situation where tented shelter is provided on State-owned land with access to sanitation.

“That’s what the short term looks like, we’ve got to be honest about that.”

However, he added: “It’s bizarre that the only part that we want to discuss is accommodation.

“We also have to discuss why are so many more people coming to our country, and discuss that in the round.

“Migration is a good thing by the way, our economy benefits, our country benefits, our society benefits.

“But we’ve had an immigration system that has been used to processing maybe 3,000-3,500 people a year, to one that is now used to seeing over 20,000 people.”

Speaking in Dublin, Tanaiste Micheal Martin said Thornton Hall, a site in north Dublin that had been intended to be used to build a prison, is being considered as a site to put tents for asylum seekers.

“I believe Thornton Hall should be used,” he told reporters.

“I understand there’s work under way between the Department of Children, Department of Justice and other departments. We’re exhausting every possible opportunity that exists.”

He also said that the provision of tents in Dublin city “can be dangerous”, and the “first response” needs to be the government providing sites to put tents.

“The first and most important response has to be for government to provide facilities for a significant number of tents on a given site, as well as accommodation solutions,” he said when asked about whether he had an issue with tents being handed to asylum seekers in Ireland without accommodation offers.

“Also there are many non-government organisations, for whom I have the highest of esteem – to work with migrants is a very noble pursuit. I just want to say that.

“In terms of tents per se, I have concerns because of safety and other issues.

“The alternative (to tents) has to be better facilities in terms of either sheltered accommodation or sites. There’s no great alternative, but certainly from previous experience the provision of tents in certain locations in the city centre can be dangerous in itself.”