Accommodation secured for 80 refugees sleeping in tents outside Limerick

EIGHTY refugees who were sleeping in tents outside of Limerick city have been moved to temporary accommodation at four different locations. And, it's been confirmed that none of them slept in tented accommodation last night as temperature hit between -9 to -1 degrees.

Since last September, a group of 103 international protection applicants (IPAs) had been living in tents provided by the State in Knockalisheen, County Clare. The refugees - all men - had often raised concerns about their living conditions.

Coordinator of the Clare Immigrant Support Group, Orla Ní Éilí, confirmed to the Limerick Leader that none of the 80 men slept in tents last night when Limerick recorded the lowest temperature in the county at -9 degrees.

Over 100 refugees sleeping in tents on outskirts of Limerick city to be moved

“They are all being re-accommodated in other places, both the Clare local authorities and Limerick local authorities sourced accommodation in Clare, Limerick, and nearby,” said Ms. Ní Éilí.

Speaking of the men being moved to emergency accommodation, she commented: “This is a big concern really because some are probably gone to temporary emergency accommodation. In the asylum world, temporary emergency accommodation can unfortunately last for a very long time. This will give a breather to get appropriate accommodation for them if where they are is just emergency.”

A representative of Doras, the independent and non-profit organisation, working to promote the rights of migrant people in Ireland, also confirmed that all the men have been relocated to other accommodations. 

Speaking on Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1, Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Integration, said that many of the men are now being housed at the Direction Provision Centre in Knockalisheen.