Direct Provision system is not sustainable
NEWS that a Direct Provision centre may open in Wicklow Town has been met with mixed reactions. It has come to a shock for many people and while there are various reasons why the community is up in arms about the plan but, above all else, it is not right that these centres are still being opened and that people are being housed in them.
We should be moving away from this model rather than opening further centres.
The whole idea of Direct Provision was to accommodate refugees on a temporary basis, weeks or a couple of months, almost two decades since they were established we have people living in this system for years at a time.
Living for extended periods of time in such a centre surely cannot be good for a person’s mental health.
The system also keeps refugees segregated from the community in which they live, and they never get the opportunity to property integrate as they are unable to work, and largely unsupported in many ways outside of basic shelter and food.
There is such a stigma involved and this will never be broken while these centres operate. Just last week we heard a story that a mother was denied a slice of bread outside of canteen hours, for her sick child.
Who could possibly stand over this decision?
It is simply an existence, not the life a person may have imagined when they arrived in this country.
If we are prepared to offer asylum to people, then we must be able to do so properly and fulfil the needs of the applicant, not just offer basic food and shelter.
These centres have been likened to Magdalene laundries and in years to come I think we certainly will look back on them with regret.
The argument that living in Direct Provision is preferable to living in war torn country or one where you face persecution for any reason is redundant.
It’s not that simple, and if we as a country offer these people entry, then we must be prepared to properly accommodate them, as well as offer them the opportunity to work and contribute to the society where they have made their home.
At the end of the day, opening such a centre will not serve those who will live there properly and it will not serve the community in which it is based.