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Flanagan says there is 'a crisis' in providing accomodation for people seeking asylum in Ireland. Leah Farrell

'I don't want to see these people on our streets': Charlie Flanagan admits 'crisis' in asylum seeker accommodation

The Justice Minister says over 1,300 asylum seekers are currently in emergency accommodation.

JUSTICE MINISTER CHARLIE Flanagan has said that “improvements” to the Direct Provision system are necessary but that he “doesn’t want to see people on the streets”.

The minister was speaking to RTÉ Radio One’s Drivetime amid questions about the government’s role in informing communities about the opening of Direct Provision centres.

Flanagan said there has been “no decision” about the potential for a DP centre in Oughterard, Co Galway but that “expressions of interest are ongoing”.

The minister previously stated that he was “very disappointed” at recent remarks made about the process and he again called on Noel Grealish TD to withdraw remarks he made.

Flanagan acknowledged that community concerns about Direct Provision centres must be listened to.

“In all cases it’s important that information be provided on the matter of education facilities and schools, school places. Teachers are concerned, parents are concerned. GPs and healthcare, of course, is an issue of fundamental importance to people,” he said.

And how is the healthcare service to be delivered in any area, the matter of public transport, to and from the centre, to and from the local community? And, of course, the important issue of sport and recreation.

He added that some people agitating against the centres are opposed to immigration as a concept and are not speaking for local communities.

“I believe it’s important that such demonstrations take place in an atmosphere of calm. I am concerned that many of these issues, where there are challenges, are being whipped up by people who have ulterior motives, people who are against the concept of allowing any asylum seekers into our country.”

Unfair

Flanagan also said he is aware that there are people who are “implacably opposed” to the Direct Provision system and said “a balance” is required.

“We have a situation where on the one hand, we have a group of people who are implacably opposed to the concept of Direct Provisions for reasons they say that it’s no way to keep people’s, that it’s unfair. And on the other hand people who just don’t want asylum seekers in the community, what we have to do is to find a balance, and that’s why there are improvements to the current system.”

Ireland is no different from any other EU country or any other western-type democracy in the manner in which we deal with people coming from the most vulnerable circumstances.

Flanagan acknowledged that there was “a crisis” in providing accomodation to people arriving into the country

“I have in excess of 1,300 people in emergency accommodation. I would hope that these applications would be dealt with as expeditiously as possible but we can have on some days 40-50 people coming to our shores. I don’t want to see these people on our streets,” he said.

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    Mute James St John Smith
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:22 AM

    He was such a sweet young lad on the tv years ago.
    He must had had a rough upbringing.

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    Mute Cosmo Kramer
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    Nov 13th 2015, 11:08 AM

    Are The Journal going to cover the story of the Guard beating a man over the side of the head in a hotel in Gorey last night?

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    Mute For Connolly
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    Nov 13th 2015, 11:26 AM

    @ cosmo: Are you referring to the incident where, by all appearances, a Guard hits an unarmed man in the side of the head with a baton?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi3safU6ZRY

    You’ll probably see an article reporting on the Garda press office response to the incident.

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    Mute For Connolly
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    Nov 13th 2015, 11:29 AM

    The incident in question, that’s a serious wallop by any standards. Ths mans arms are down by his side and he is posing no threat whatsoever.

    https://soundmigration.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/garda-violence-gorey-wexford.gif?w=676

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    Mute Cosmo Kramer
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    Nov 13th 2015, 11:34 AM

    No doubt if they do a story on it the comments will be closed as usual.. As somebody pointed out yesterday in regards to the Maria Cahill story, we’re just spoon fed pro government bullshite and any story that could damage the Government the comments are immediately closed down or the story isn’t covered at all..

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    Mute Not_Rod_Ten©
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    Nov 13th 2015, 11:46 AM

    In fairness it did seem a tad unnecessary, looks like the garda lost his cool

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Nov 13th 2015, 12:29 PM

    Can’t understand why that Garda hit the old man…that was savage.

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Nov 13th 2015, 1:28 PM

    Is this what our country has become due to government enriching their cronies pockets absolutely disgusting.

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    Mute John Murray
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:20 AM

    I though Morph was brown? His friend Chas was much better behaved and probably became a stand out citizen.

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:39 AM

    Hey rod I hope it’s not the same Nigerian prince that I am helping

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    Mute jack frost
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:16 AM

    Robbed by a condom

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    Mute James St John Smith
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:22 AM

    Sure have another go there Jack.

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    Mute SHANKSGHOST
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    Nov 13th 2015, 4:09 PM

    Hope he didn’t sound like this !!

    http://youtu.be/-5DhAyAx1v0

    Wouldn’t be able to understand a bloody work

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    Mute Not_Rod_Ten©
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:35 AM

    When the cops get a grip of him he’ll get a stiff sentence and maybe be scared straight

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    Mute Stephen Devlin
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:25 AM

    Sure it wasn’t just a gimp?

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    Mute jack frost
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:21 AM

    Robbed by a durex

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    Mute IMHONTU OLUMENSE
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:33 AM

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    Mute Not_Rod_Ten©
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:35 AM

    I’m interested in this, but at the moment I helping a Nigerian prince with his cash flow problems but I promise to get back to you after that.

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    Mute Ray Farrelly
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:39 AM

    Imhontu can I have a loan of a couple of million and I will pay you back when I win the lotto thanks.

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Nov 13th 2015, 12:30 PM

    Will I have to work in a red painted room to pay it back?

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    Mute The Viking
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:25 AM

    Im sure the morph is well and truly morphed out of it now

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