More Palestinians have sought asylum in Ireland in first five months of this year than in last decade
The number of Palestinians seeking asylum in Ireland continues to increase, latest data shows.
Figures released by the Department of Integration show Palestinians lodged most applications for asylum – 57 – in the State last week.
It comes as record numbers of non-Ukrainian applicants – over 1,000 – are in tents in serviced sites, while 2,067 are without an offer of any accommodation.
The number of Palestinians seeking asylum has increased sharply recently, while charities have reported a rise in Palestinian men living in tents on the streets of the capital.
In the first five months of this year, 408 Palestinian refugees have sought asylum here. In comparison, in the decade from 2013 to 2023, 301 applications were made in Ireland by Palestinians.
A total of 173 Palestinian refugees sought asylum in Ireland in last month, up from 66 in April; 127 sought protection in March, up from just 20 in February and 22 in January.
The new data on international protection applicants shows there was an average of 47 asylum-seeker arrivals to Ireland every day last week.
It brings the total number of asylum-seekers in state accommodation to 31,116.
Nigeria has the greatest number of nationals being accommodated by the State at 6,192.
This is followed by 3,554 from Georgia and 3,056 from Algeria, two countries designated “safe” by the Government.
The latest statistics released by the Department of Integration show 2,067 male asylum-seekers are awaiting an offer of state shelter. This is up 61 since Tuesday.
On December 4, the State stopped offering accommodation to all new male asylum-seekers, citing a “severe shortage”.
Those without accommodation are directed to homeless day services, where they can access food, laundry, hygiene facilities and, from some services, tents.
Unaccommodated asylum-seekers are also entitled to an increased weekly allowance of €113.80.
Since December 4, a total of 3,814 male asylum-seekers have arrived, 381 were offered accommodation when they presented following a vulnerability triage and 1,366 initially refused accommodation were offered a place.
Currently, only unaccommodated asylum-seekers who are referred to the International Protection Accommodation Service as rough sleepers and having particular vulnerabilities are subsequently offered accommodation.
Meanwhile, a 90-day cut-off of free accommodation for the first Ukrainians who were accommodated under a new scheme introduced on March 14 kicked in on Wednesday.
Under the scheme, newly arrived Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) can avail of free accommodation in a designated accommodation centre for a maximum of 90 days. They will receive a weekly allowance of €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child.
During their stay, they are not entitled to apply for standard social welfare assistance, but they can do so when they leave.
The number of Ukrainians in state-provided accommodation has reduced from 60,000 last November to just under 45,000 on June 11.
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