Green Party Minister Roderic O’Gorman outlined a white paper this week detailing how asylum seekers will be treated in the future.
Asylum seekers arrive into Ireland unexpectedly and announce at our sea and airports that they are claiming asylum in Ireland. Reasons given for claiming asylum are wide ranging including sexual identity, political persecution and fleeing conflict.
Asylum seekers are different to UN Programme refugees whose arrival into Ireland is planned in advance and who are vetted by Gardai before they arrive into Ireland.
According to Newstalk, asylum seekers who are waiting for their asylum application to be assessed will be housed in soon to be constructed “Reception Centres” for their first four months in Ireland. These Reception centres will be paid for by the Irish taxpayer and managed by “not-for-profit groups”.
After four months in a Reception centre, the asylum seekers, whilst awaiting for their application to be approved or declined will then be moved to private rooms with their “own doors”.
Their rent will be “means tested” which usually means they will be provided with free accommodation. The asylum seekers will also receive €200 each week. Asylum seekers can start to work in Ireland after just six months in Ireland regardless of their asylum status.
All asylum seekers will receive free healthcare, housing, education and English classes.
Female asylum seekers will receive access to abortions, antenatal, birth and postnatal care and cervical checks.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman said “It will be run on a not-for-profit basis, and in order to be truly transformative, it will rely on strong engagement and cooperation between the State and not-for-profit organisations.”
Not for Profit means the Irish taxpayer will pay through income taxes for these supports and resources from other areas may be diverted to providing services to immigrants coming to Ireland.
Increasing the National debt is another way that may be used to fund this new asylum plan.
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