Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy Jason Osborne
Doras, a Limerick-based migrant and refugee support organisation, has raised renewed concerns over the safety of residents in Direct Provision following the report of alleged sexual assault in an accommodation centre.
“People fleeing harm should not be exposed to further harm when they arrive here in Ireland,” said Doras CEO, John Lannon. “The lack of own-door accommodation in congregated Direct Provision centres creates conditions for perpetrators of sexual assault or of human trafficking – acts of sexual violence – to operate. The recent commitment to end direct provision in the new Programme for Government is welcome, but it could be a matter of years before the system is abolished – the safety and security of people seeking asylum needs to be prioritised now.”
This comes following the allegation that a female asylum seeker was raped by another asylum seeker in a direct provision centre four months ago on March 1. Doras expressed concern that the reported response to the allegation was “inadequate and inappropriate”.
“To simply move a person from one unsafe location to another shared accommodation centre is not an adequate response,” said Lannon. “IPAS should have and still can treat this person with the respect and care needed,” he said.