Over one hundred tents, with three or four people sleeping in each one – and some of these men have been in this situation for months. 

The number of tents erected in the streets outside the International Protection Office in Dublin is increasing every week – and volunteer group Social Rights Ireland is warning that there is now a growing ‘humanitarian emergency' in the capital.

The tents began appearing in early December when the government announced that it was no longer able to offer housing to newly-arriving male asylum seekers.

That did little to stem the tide of new arrivals and there are now more than 1,250 asylum seekers without State accommodation – hundreds of whom are sleeping rough on the streets.

'The smell is unbearable'

In the streets around the International Protection Office in Dublin there is a tangible smell of excrement and urine.

The asylum seekers living here have no access to washing facilities or toilets – meaning they are forced to go around the corner from the International Protection Office.

I witnessed some of these men washing themselves in the open - a towel, a bottle of water and a bar of soap - while others urinated on the street in front of me.

'It's wet, it's miserable, there are no toilets or showers. This is nowhere for somebody to be staying.' @BarryWhyte85 reports from Dublin’s asylum seeker ‘Tent City’ where volunteer groups are warning of a growing ‘humanitarian emergency.’ pic.twitter.com/8ORuvGXVpw

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) March 14, 2024

Bags of rubbish are also starting to mount.

There are basically no bins in the area and seagulls and pigeons have found themselves a comfortable new home.

The smell is unbearable. I gagged a few times and almost vomited and I was only there for two hours – Imagine having to live here in a tent.

If all that wasn’t bad enough for these poor souls, there has now been a scabies outbreak.

Refugees sleeping in tents outside Dublin’s International Protection Office. Image: Rory Walsh/Newstalk

Ali, who is originally from Pakistan, told me that many people are suffering.

“It’s cold and wet,” he said. “It’s very difficult.”

“Many people are in tents and they don’t even have sleeping bags or blankets. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone to have to sleep like this for even one night.”

Asylum seekers sleeping in tents outside Dublin’s International Protection Office. Image: Rory Walsh/Newstalk

Ali has been living in a tent outside the IPO for two months.

He shares his tent with one other asylum seeker and he said many men are now sick.

“Many men are ill,” he said. “A doctor told some of the people here they have scabies.

“Many people here are also suffering mentally”.

Slum

The area around the International Protection Office in Dublin City Centre has basically become a slum – it’ll be a real eye-opener for the thousands of tourists visiting the capital this St Patrick’s Weekend.

It’s worth remembering that this isn’t in some closed off area of city, hidden from public view – not that the situation would be any better if it was.

It is right in the middle of Dublin City Centre.

Leinster House is a five minute walk away, Merrion Square is a few hundred metres away and the National Maternity Hospital on Holles St is even closer.

Hundreds, if not thousands of people pass this area on a daily basis, and I’m sure they are all thinking the same thing I am.

“How the hell have the Irish Government allowed this to happen?”

The most worrying thing is this situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.

The latest figures from the Department of Integration show there are now 1,260 asylum seekers without State-provided accommodation.

Asylum seekers sleeping in tents outside Dublin’s International Protection Office. Image: Rory Walsh/Newstalk

That is what has led to this point - hundreds of male asylum seekers sleeping rough on the streets - and if the Government thought leaving people to sleep on the streets stop others coming here, they are wrong.

Newly-published statistics show that the number of new arrivals claiming asylum in Ireland is on course to break previous records.

According to the latest statistics from the Department of Integration some 3,606 people have arrived here in the first ten weeks of this year looking to apply for international protection.

That is up by over 60% when compared to the same period last year.

Tent City

On that basis it seems likely more male asylum seekers will be cramping into tents around the International Protection Office before very long.

Ireland has never seen anything like this before.

It is past time the Government began treating this as an emergency situation because that is what it is – and it needs to be urgently addressed.