Asylum seekers fearful living on Dublin's streets

Asylum seekers living on the streets of Dublin have said they fear for their lives.

More than 750 asylum seekers are without shelter in Ireland after the government announced there was a lack of accommodation for those seeking refugee status in early December.

One man, Abdul, 33, and his wife Evelyn, 22, told BBC News they have been threatened at knifepoint.

“About two weeks ago, before we came to this area, we were threatened with a knife and then that's why we left that place. So it is dangerous,” Evelyn said.

“They were kids, maybe, 14, maybe 15. They said we had five minutes to leave because they come back and stab us.”

The Department of Integration told the BBC: “Despite intensive efforts to source emergency accommodation, the department is currently not in a position to provide accommodation to all international protection applicants due to the severe shortage.”

These numbers include men, women and children.

A myriad of global issues has increased applications for asylum in Ireland, 13,000 in 2023, nearly five times what it was in 2019.

Ireland is currently accommodating more than 101,585 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants.

This includes more than 74,955 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State.

This is separate to the number of Ukrainians who have fled war and come to Ireland.

Those fleeing Ukraine are housed and processed differently from those seeking asylum from other countries.

The increase in applications has come with an increase in anti-immigrant sentiment.

Ireland is battling a record breaking housing crisis, with about 14,000 Irish people currently homeless.

The pressure on services as well as misinformation stoked on social media by far-right actors has let to a number of incidents, protests and a riot on 23 November last year where public transport was set alight and Garda officers were injured by a mob that moved through Dublin’s O’Connell Street.

The riot was sparked by an attack on small children by a man outside a school. An Algerian national has been charged with attempted murder.

Dr Anne Holohan, an Associate Professor in Sociology at Trinity College Dublin, said the rise in anti-immigrant sentiment is driven by misinformation and real frustration about lack of services.

“I think the asylum seekers have exposed what is lacking in terms of investments in infrastructure and services,” she said.

“The anger is because people know Ireland is a relatively wealthy country. We had a massive budget surplus and still there is not sufficient addressing of the housing crisis or investment in health or education."

Dr Holohan adds that the “small far right” in Ireland is driving misinformation in small communities.

There were 15 arson attacks on centres and potential centres for refugees last year. Gardaí have yet to make any arrests.

Likewise, property owners considering renting out their centres have reported being threatened or intimidated into turning down government contracts.

Outside the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) office there are queues of people, piles of luggage and suitcases are stacked around it, with small tent villages dotted around in small groups.

Men, women and children attend to seek accommodation, identity cards and attempt to source medical attention.

The BBC spoke to a number of people who say they have been threatened, harassed and attacked while living on the street.

Racist attacks are on the rise, according to the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR), and some property owners have been intimidated or threatened for agreeing to house asylum seekers.

One man from Algeria, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he lives in a tent behind the IPAS office.

He has epilepsy and his medication had been stolen.

A group of Irish men arrived at the makeshift camp last week and threatened arson.

“They said to me, two more days to leave or we burn everything,” he said.

“They said they would come back with dogs.”

Lorraine O'Connor founded the Muslim Sisters of Eire, a group that provides outreach services for the homeless, she fears for her service users' safety.

“They're very vulnerable. Are we going to repeat what happened when they found the place where they were living and burnt them out?

“What's happening is it's becoming them and us.

“Irish people in the housing list, Irish people don't have a home then there's a lot of immigrants here with no homes as well. And I feel the government are pitting them against us and this is where it's happening.”

Likewise, INAR said Ireland is at a tipping point.

Director Shane O’Curry said a young man seeking asylum arrived at his office looking for help, despite INAR not providing such outreach services. He had been sleeping near the canal and did not even have a sleeping bag.

“I'm afraid if something isn't done urgently, it's only a matter of time before we find ourselves in the scenario where one of these arson attacks or some other kind of attacks will lead to somebody being seriously hurt or even killed," he said.

The Irish minister for integration, Roderic O'Gorman, is reported to be finalising his plans for more refugee accommodation across the country.

A government source said while there is no firm detail yet, the broad principle is to provide more state owned beds.

“This allows us to better manage distribution of people, and planning longer term. It’s also better for taxpayer,” they said.

The BBC understands this will include the state purchasing derelict or empty properties and constructing new ones.

A spokesperson for the Department of Integration said: “Department officials are working to bring more bed spaces into use, and since January 2022 have brought over 17,300 bed spaces to accommodate those who arrive in Ireland seeking International Protection (IP).

"Various issues beyond the control of the department have resulted in offers not being progressed, and accommodation not contracted, swiftly enough to meet the demand."

In late January, the Minister of Justice Helen McEntee announced Botswana and Algeria will be designated “safe” countries of origin for the purpose of making an asylum claim.

The move is an attempt to speed up applications, those arriving from “safe” countries are currently receiving decisions in less than 90 days.

People from “safe” countries are still entitled to apply for international protection, however, they will have to submit serious grounds that the country is not safe in terms of their personal circumstances.