Asylum seekers living in ‘tent city’ camp in Dublin bussed to new tented location

Up to 200 men had been living in the tents on Mount Street due to a shortage of accommodation for male asylum seekers.

It is understood the men were relocated this morning via buses and given tents to pitch on arrival at the site in Crooksling in the Dublin mountains.

However, a "minority" of the men have since left the site after arriving and are returning to the site on Mount Street, said a spokesperson for the Department of Integration.

Charities and opposition politicians had raised concerns around the conditions of the encampment due to a lack of running water or toilets available.

A number of those who were living at the camp this week had been moved to an isolation facility after they were diagnosed with the skin condition scabies.

A statement from the Department of Integration confirmed that the asylum seekers camped on Mount street have been offered “alternative accommodation” at a site in Crooksling where food, personal toiletries, toilet and shower facilities are available.

"This morning, the Department has offered alternative shelter to all International Protection Applicants camped on Mount street,” said a spokesperson for the Department.

"All those who accepted the offer will be provided tented accommodation at a site in Crooksling, where food, personal toiletries, toilet and shower facilities are also available.

"The Department will engage with the HSE and health care providers in order to ensure the wellbeing of those on site.”

The Department added that it has “engaged closely with Dublin City Council regarding the situation on Mount Street, and DCC has confirmed that the site at Mount Street will be cleaned following the removal of the tents currently there.

"More broadly, the situation in relation to accommodation remains very challenging. The supply of available accommodation is severely diminished,” they added.

Meanwhile, Senator Mary Fitzpatrick said the relocation cannot be a temporary solution until Monday.

"It can't be that they have just moved them because there is a parade coming through town tomorrow, that's unacceptable,” she said.

"I am assuming that they are being moved to facilities that are more secure, that are safe, dry, warm, that have hygiene and cooking facilities," she told RTÉ's Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin.

Ms Fitzpatrick said she is "glad" to see action, however, "this can't be an overnight action. It can't be just until Monday morning. That's not a solution."

Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin described the relocation of the men as a “positive” step but that the conditions should not have deteriorated to the extent they did.

"I’m glad there is movement. I’m glad they’re moving to somewhere with better facilities. I don’t think it should have taken to the point of people contracting diseases for this to be the point we’re at,” he told the Irish Independent.

"It was a direct result of Government policy that the situation deteriorated and it’s only because the advocacy of local people that it seems to be coming close to being resolved.

"It’s a positive development however genuinely, we are a bit disturbed as to how we got to this point.”

Mr Ó Ríordáin said new accommodation is better than the conditions on Mount Street where the men were “exposed to the elements and also exposed potentially to anti-social behaviour”.

"It is a positive move however I think the Government is going to have to reassess how they manage this. There are over 1,200 asylum seekers homeless in the state and this is going to potentially get worse when the 90 days for Ukrainian accommodation runs out.

"The clock started ticking on that a number of days ago on this new policy for the length of time that Ukrainian refugees will be accommodated.

"The Government will have to reassess because this situation could actually return.”