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  1. About Us

Our response to the Covid-19 pandemic

Service and support to people in Direct Provision:

  • Answered more than 400 telephone calls and more than 200 emails in relation to Covid-19
  • Found accommodation for more than 40 people so that they can leave Direct Provision and supported many more in housing and accommodation issue
  • Convened online meetings of the Asylum Support Network (more than 20 support organisations across Ireland) and shared information regularly through a facilitated message board
  • Advocated, in partnership with other organisations, for vulnerable people and healthcare workers to be given space to isolate and moved out of Direct Provision
  • Conducted a survey of people’s experiences of Direct provision to be published in mid-June
  • Coordinated more than 40 organisations to write to request an increase of €20 to the Direct Provision weekly allowance 
  • Letters and advocacy to political parties around including a comittment to end Direct Provision in any manifesto

Communications:

  • Partnered with Centra to deliver more than 3,000 Easter Eggs to children in Direct Provision
  • Partnered with ‘We Make Good’ and the ‘Textile Studio’ on a ‘buy one, gift one’ face mask initiative
  • Launched our new website
  • Spoke to RTE and the BBC World Service about the situation of healthcare workers in Direct Provision

Young people and education:

  • Two meetings with the University of Sanctuary movement discussing how student accommodation could be used for people in Direct Provision
  • Ongoing engagement with 19 higher education institutes to finalise our 2020 Education Information Booklet
  • Communicated with stakeholders on the broadening of the SUSI regulations which we have been advocated for
  • Checked in with and provided support to young people including applying for the Covid-19 payment

Legal support and information:

  • Support to people who are particularly ‘at-risk’ and liaising with the relevant authorities to secure safe and appropriate accommodation
  • Assistance to homeless people who were unable to re-access their bed in direct provision.Assisted persons who have been wrongly excluded from Direct Provision in accessing accommodation
  • Direct advice to protection applicants regarding access to the Covid-19 emergency social welfare payment
  • Direct advice to applicants wishing to make new applications on how to access the international protection procedure in the current circumstances
  • Sought legal opinion on the State’s responsibilities to people in congregated settings during the pandemic and submitted to Minister Flanagan and Minister Harris
  • Published the Asylum Information Database report for Ireland, a detailed report analysing Ireland's protection process

Employment:

  • Advocacy to the Departments of Health Justice for easier registration of health care professionals
  • Assisted with ad hoc recruitment, including HSE recruitment campaign applications, and supporting persons made redundant
  • Information sharing and referrals made for clients across range of issues affected by Covid 19 pandemic
  • Conducted 23 phone interviews and questionnaires with refugee women, employers and external stakeholders as part of consultation process for our “Integration from Day 1” project
  • Worked with more than 90 healthcare workers to access temporary accommodation so they could continue their important work and not live in Direct Provision

Staffing and support:

  • Two interns brought on to the living wage
  • Online team meetings
  • Online Employee Assistance Programme for counselling and support

Updated 12 June 2020

Published: 27th April, 2020

Updated: 12th June, 2020

Author: Nicholas Henderson

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Published: 27th April, 2020

Updated: 12th June, 2020

Author: Nicholas Henderson

Latest tweet

  • We're looking forward to this information and discussion evening tomorrow, Wednesday 6 July in Limerick. More inf… https://t.co/StRiIq7rp1

    5thJuly, 2022 @IrishRefugeeCo
  • RT @OpenCommunityIr: Our next online support session for people hosting refugees is this Wed 6 July @ 7pm, & we will be joined by… https://t.co/Hg9Zg9Ezy8

    4thJuly, 2022 @IrishRefugeeCo
  • RT @IrishRefugeeCo: This issue is affecting people seeking protection. Difficult to lose luggage, particularly if it contains your o… https://t.co/FyVxzvUsje

    4thJuly, 2022 @IrishRefugeeCo
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D01 NX74

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CHY Number: 10153
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