The possibility of obtaining a bed in a safe, serviced facility offered by the State for individuals in need of refuge seems to have been eliminated, given the presence of barriers in many areas of the city centre and the increased movement of asylum seekers who are rough sleeping from one location to another, reports RTE.
The Department of Integration has identified an organisation that has the authority to direct asylum seekers who are rough sleeping to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) in order to receive priority housing: the Garda Síochána.
A garda spokeswoman, however, has denied that the agency plays such a role.
“An Garda Síochána has no responsibility in assessing people for accommodation” they said, and “it is not involved” in referring rough sleeping International Protection applicants to IPAS, reports RTE.
The spokesperson said that “An Garda Síochána regularly engage with persons sleeping rough, carrying out welfare checks”, and that this includes rough sleeping asylum seekers, but that “the position of An Garda Síochána is that it is not involved in referrals”, reports RTE.
“IPAS is actively engaging with stakeholders to prevent unaccommodated International Protection (IP) applicants from becoming street homeless and is in constant contact with Dublin Homeless Supports, An Garda Síochána, and Department of Social Protection colleagues for this purpose,” a spokesperson for the Department of Integration said on December 4, the day the State ceased offering accommodation to all asylum seekers citing a “severe shortage,” reports RTE.
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