What is Direct Provision?
The system of direct provision was introduced to Ireland in 1999. Protection applicants (people seeking asylum in Ireland) are provided with accommodation, usually in large, congregated settings such as former boarding schools, convents, guesthouses and hotels. Almost all of these centres are privately-owned and all are privately run and generate huge profits for the companies who run them.
The Problem with Direct Provision Centres
In 2021, there were about 7,000 people living in direct provision accommodation (including the initial reception centre, direct provision centres and emergency centres) across Ireland. Almost 1,700 of those were children.
In 2023, around 20,000 people are living in these centres. Over 4,000 of those are children.
Many residents do not have access to any cooking facilities. Single people commonly share a room with several strangers and entire families may share one room.
When direct provision was first introduced the then Minister for Justice said that people would stay no longer than 6 months in the system.
Today, over 5,000 people still cannot move out of Direct Provision due to lack of access to affordable accommodation, even after receiving their immigration status.
Direct Provision was established in 1999 as a temporary response to accommodating people seeking International Protection. In the decades since, it has proven expensive, inefficient, and ill-equipped to respond to shifting trends in international migration. More worryingly, it failed to respect the dignity and human rights of individuals…” Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’ Gorman
What does STAD stand for?
We are a coalition of organisations standing up against direct provision. STAD are calling for the Government to fulfil the commitments it made to end direct provision, and to provide a clear timeline for this. We want a humane alternative that respects the human rights and dignity of international protection applicants.
What can you do?
The founding member organisations of STAD have been advocating for change to the direct provision system for over 20 years, holding that the current system creates barriers to integration and contributes to poor mental and physical health and social exclusion.
While the goal of STAD is to amplify the collective voice of organisations across Ireland in ensuring the State upholds its commitment to end direct provision, we invite individual members of the public to get involved in the campaign.
Whether you are a social justice champion, a current or former resident of direct provision, or an everyday citizen demanding better conditions for asylum seekers, you can lend your support in the following ways:
- Tweet a message of your support and make your voice heard;
- Share the campaign on social media;
- Do you have experience of living in direct provision? Share your story with us to help raise awareness about the issue.
Co-funded by
