“I remember when I came in 2019 and if they told me there was no accommodation I don’t even think I’d have put in an application in.” Some people wanted to sleep here on Monday night and they brought security and told them to leave. I know some people come from Afghanistan and Syria and all this is just too much. “I have the advantage of speaking English and I’m used to the system. He said some of the people who have recently arrived were shocked to find there were no places for them anywhere. They’re nice people and I understand totally but the system is failing.” He was here for 15 minutes before he was sent to his accommodation in Citywest. I feel the pressure on the government for the good they’re doing taking in all these refugees. “I think the government had a choice to make. He said his days now consist of going to charity services for food, visiting the IPO office on Mount Street for any updates and then either sleeping rough or trying to get money together for a hostel. My solution is to find a way to work even if it means sleeping in a tent and going to work.” If you don’t have money you depend on it and if you want to have money you have to work. It’s a circle, if you don’t have money you depend on this IPAS system. #THE SEEKER THE WHO UPDATE#Yesterday I sent my employer an update because he’s asking. His intention once he gets back to work is to find his own place and pay his own rent. Michel can’t currently work remotely due to his homelessness but his new workplace have said he can work from their Dublin office once he finds accommodation. I would have waited two weeks and just deal with it but we’re over a month now.” “You can’t drop other people in the streets for one month. He said he was shocked that Ireland has found itself in a position where asylum seekers are being forced to sleep on the streets. Michel talks to our reporter about his predicament But at the moment it feels like people like me are being forgotten.” There is a sense of European unity that shows solidarity with the Ukrainians. I understand, I’m even proud that Ireland stands up for Europe especially with Brexit and everything. There is a situation with the Ukrainians. “Their correspondence was basically saying were sorry we can’t do anything for now but we’ll do it as soon as we can. He then turned to IPAS who haven’t been able to find him a place anywhere due to shortages. He had been trying to find his own accommodation in Cork while temporarily staying with his friend but he said it was impossible to find anywhere within his budget by the time he had to leave his friend’s place. Michel recently started a job working in a call centre and was able to work remotely in the job from his friend’s house in Cork while he was staying there. #THE SEEKER THE WHO FREE#Get ahead of the day with the morning headlines at 7.30am and Fionnán Sheahan's exclusive take on the day's news every afternoon, with our free daily newsletter.Įnter email address This field is required Sign Up Michel said he is struggling living on the streets. He has been in constant contact with International Protection Accommodation Services who source accommodation for asylum seekers but they haven’t been able to find anything for him. I was expecting something every day but it became a long month. I was sleeping in Fitzgerald Park on a bench. He has been staying in various accommodation centres and hotels since arriving in Ireland and most recently had been staying with a friend in Cork on a temporary basis but had to move out on August 5 as his friend had family coming over to live with him and didn’t have space.Īs a result, Michel has been sleeping rough in Cork and Dublin for over a month as he waited to hear back on accommodation. Michel Konou, who arrived in Ireland claiming asylum from Cameroon in 2019, told how he has been homeless since August 5 and authorities have not been able to accommodate him. Last Monday, a group of asylum seekers, many of whom had just arrived into Ireland, tried to sleep outside the offices of the International Protection Organisation, who process applications for asylum seekers, on Mount Street in Dublin because there was no accommodation available anywhere for them but they said they were moved on by security.Īs well as new arrivals, asylum seekers who have been here for a number of years have also found themselves sleeping rough due to a shortage of accommodation. It emerged this week that more than 130 newly arrived asylum seekers could not be offered accommodation for a number of days due to a lack of spaces with several having to sleep rough on the streets. An asylum seeker has said he’s been forced to sleep on the streets for a month because authorities have been unable to find him accommodation following unprecedented demand on the system due to the invasion of Ukraine.
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