More than 600 people who have been granted asylum in Ireland cannot leave their direct provision accommodation.

The country's housing crisis means they cannot get new homes, so the Department of Justice says it is allowing them to stay in the centres on 'humanitarian grounds'.

It released the figures to The Irish Times, and acknowledged the asylum seekers are having trouble securing finding accommodation.

The department told the newspaper that “no immigrant cohort would normally ever be supported by the State in this manner.”

The people affected are reportedly facing problems with the level of rent allowance, and getting accommodation with a landlord who accepts it.