The Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald is to hold a round table discussion on direct provision today.

Officials from the Department of Justice will attend, along with members of up to 20 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) - including the Irish Refugee Council and Barnardos.

Junior Minister Aodhain O'Riordain will also be at the meeting.

He said earlier this week that he cannot stand over the way direct provision centres are operated.

It comes as residents at a second accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Cork begin a protest.

90 residents at the Ashbourne House Hotel in Glounthanebegan a picket outside their centre at 7am this morning.

Some of them claim they have been waiting up to 10 years to have their cases processed.

This woman has been waiting seven years. She lives with her husband and three children in one room at the hotel.

She says they want the government to allow them to work.