‘Historic’ manifesto looks to reform Direct Provision system
RESIDENTS from Direct Provision Centres in Rosslare and Courtown have met with local TDs, senators and councillors to discuss how asylum seekers are treated in this country.
Presenting a manifesto containing potential reforms to the current system, the residents, who are all Sanctuary Ambassadors, outlined their own personal experiences in Direct Provision to Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr Ger Carthy, Mayor of Wexford, Cllr Leonard Kelly, Deputies Brendan Howlin, Verona Murphy, Johnny Mythen, James Browne, and Paul Kehoe, Senator Malcolm Byrne, and Wexford Councillor George Lawlor.
Zakaria Osman was first to speak, thanking Deputy Howlin and Cllr Carthy for inviting him to the Council Chambers before explaining why he and the other residents had compiled their manifesto.
‘This means a lot to us, because we did not have freedom of speech in our own countries,’ said Zakaria, who is from Somalia. ‘We are so happy to give you our manifesto. This government has promised to end the current system of Direct Provision and our manifesto will explain the most urgent matters.’
Those matters include centres being run by not-for-profit organisations with independent monitoring, managers receiving proper training with more consistency and accountability, and time-limited contracts.
Furthermore, the manifesto asks that all emergency centres be closed or changed to official Direct Provision Centres with agreed standards and provision, and that minimum standards of IT, study space, self catering, children’s play areas and transport to local centres be established immediately.
It also states that asylum seekers, especially families, should not be in Direct Provision for more than one year.
Rania from Sudan has been living in emergency accomodation in Courtown for the past 11 months. She, her husband, and their four teenage children, live in two small rooms with no space for cooking, privacy or study, this already difficult situation becoming exacerbated during lockdown. And Rania said the current system impinges on basic human rights.
‘When families live long-term in these centres, adults lose their freedom as we are treated as babies, having to ask for our daily needs. Children are deprived their rights to a normal childhood, rights to play, learn and interact normally with society,’ she said.
To avoid further instances like this, the manifesto asks that the decision-making system for those seeking asylum be speeded up and that applicants be able to track their cases in real time.
It asks that elected representatives, whether TDs, councillors or ministers, be able to advocate on behalf of individual asylum seekers, and that the Dublin III Regulation (an EU law that determines which EU Member State is responsible for the examination of an application for asylum) be reformed.
One further issue it addressed is family reunification (including dependent children over 18), something which South Sudanese man Patrick Khamis has been personally affected by. Patrick’s 20 year-old daughter continues to live in South Sudan and he is concerned for her safety.
‘She has lived through war and hardship most of her life, and I need to help her make a new start,’ Patrick said. ‘ I can’t imagine abandoning her and relegating her welfare to relatives.’
The topic which the residents spoke most passionately about was their desire to work, to be contributing members of Irish society, pay their taxes and use their wide and varied skillsets for the betterment of society.
Mariam from Georgia is a tailor by trade and she and her friend have made more than four thousand face masks during the pandemic, some of which she presented to the politicians at the end of her speech.
And all of the residents were keen to highlight their desire to give back to a country they have grown to love. This is reflected in the manifesto which asks that the waiting time for work permits be reduced to a maximum of six months, that the embargo on Dublin III applications be removed, that residents be allowed to showcase theirs skills to local businesses and embark on awareness raising programmes for local employers and businesses, and that residents be allowed to apply for their driving licenses once work permits have been issued.
Cllr Carthy described the manifesto as a ‘ long overdue and historic document’ and said he would do everything in his power to make all asylum seekers in Wexford feel ‘protected, welcome and included’.
‘We all need to belong,’ he said, ‘we all need a sense of place. Your place is here - with us.’
COUNTY WEXFORD’S fishermen are facing an uncertain, worrying future unless a deal is thrashed out with the UK to ensure access to fishing waters and quotas is maintained.
Foreign Affairs minister Simon Coveney was questioned by Independent TD Verona Murphy at a sitting of the Dáil in the Convention Centre on Thursday about what action the government is taking to protect fishermen, many of whom, she said, were not supported adequately during the Covid lockdown.
Deputy Murphy said the new programme for government ensures protection of the interests of the Irish Fishing industry and states the need to seek EU contingency supports and market disturbance funding for the fisheries sector. She questioned Mr Coveney over these commitments, calling on him to clearly explain what steps will be taken to protect the fishing industry post-Brexit, as well as mitigating against the impact of Covid-19.
Deputy Murphy said she recently met with fishermen in Kilmore Quay, Duncannon and other areas in Wexford and heard first-hand the concerns of the local Industry.
‘Presently 30 per cent of the Irish fishing industry’s catch is caught in UK waters. Those waters will soon to be outside of the EU and off limits to Irish trawlers,’ she said.
The UK is insisting that fisheries is not part of any trade deal. ‘Fishermen are very much left in limbo. There is a serious and real concern as 30 per cent of the waters they fished in will soon by in the UK. 60 per cent of their mackerel and 40 per cent of their prawn catches are in these waters so they are mainstays for them. Fishing is the backbone of Kilmore Quay, which is renowned for its quality produce and the Saltee Chipper.’
Deputy Murphy said the biggest concern is displacement. ‘It’s very similar to the road haulage industry in that the majority of EU fishing fleets are registered as UK trawlers so they can avail of the UK portion of the quota.’
Fears that Spanish and French trawlers will come in and fish in Irish waters increasingly post-Brexit have been raised.
Deputy Murphy said Wexford fishermen don’t tend to fish outside Irish waters.
‘The EU are saying fisheries will be part of any EU free trade agreement and the UK say it won’t be. They have introduced a new Fisheries Bill in the House of Commons. Ireland are saying the fishermen will be part of a trading agreement. There is a binding agreement in the withdrawal agreement to discuss fishing access and trade.’
Calling for clarity on the issue, Deputy Murphy said: ‘Brexit is only five months down the road, on December 31. The information is vague at a critical stage. It’s sensitive and therefore no-one is prepared to comment leaving fishermen here in a state of flux. There is a commitment to look for contingencies from the EU to support the fishermen post-Brexit and post-Covid. They should be able to avail of this now.’
She said rushed legislation and trade agreements never work, adding that current quotas need to be maintained. ‘Displacement has never worked for Irish fishermen who feel they were sold out to agriculture in the past.’