Hundreds of people are at risk of being killed in fires in a number of direct supply centers where residents are cooking in their rooms due to a lack of independent facilities.
An investigation by the Irish independent in 2020, asylum seekers found that covering smoke detectors and blocking fire escapes so they could secretly cook for themselves while spending months or years in the controversial direct supply system.
The most recent studies of direct supply centers show that cookware, including deep fryers, is still kept in bedrooms and smoke detectors are often covered.
In an inspection carried out last October at Knockalisheen’s direct delivery center in Co Clare, one individual preparation in three
several hot plates on the floor of their room.
The same inspection found smoke detectors covered in 15 rooms, with cooking utensils – including hobs and gas bottles – also in 15 rooms.
More than 200 people, including families, were staying in the center at the time.
Residents of the center do not have their own cooking facilities and are offered food in a dining room.
According to an inspection conducted last November, ten different rooms in the immediate provisions center of the Marian hostel in Tullamore, County Offaly, had cooking equipment.
More than 100 people, including families, were staying at the hostel at the time.
It has three cooking stations.
In response to the inspection report, the management says they have sent reminders of the house rules to those who had cooking utensils in their rooms.
“All rooms were monitored with recent inspections, no evidence of cooking appliances,” said a letter from the manager.
People also tried to cook food in their rooms in the immediate amenities center of the Eglinton Hotel in Salthill.
An inspection conducted last September found a deep-fat fryer, mini-cooker and rice cooker in one person’s room.
Food splatters and stains were also found in another room with a hob and mini oven in it.
Another resident had a hob, mini grill and deep fryer in his room.
Air fryers and sandwich makers were also found in other rooms, as well as more hot plates.
In response to the inspection report, the hotel’s management said they acted “immediately” to address the issues it discovered, removing cooking utensils from all rooms where it was found.
At the time of the inspection, more than 100 people lived in the center.
Residents do not have their own cooking facilities there.
Cooking equipment was discovered last November in six different rooms at the Johnson Marina direct supply center in Tralee, Co Kerry.
There was a smoke detector in another room.
Management said they had reminded residents of the “house rules regarding cooking utensils” and removed cooking utensils from bedrooms.
The 90 families and single women residing in the center do not have their own cooking facilities.
Evidence of cooking was found in six rooms of the Drishane Castle direct supply center in Millstreet, Co Cork, when inspectors visited last December.
Smoke detectors were also covered in a number of rooms.
The center’s management, which has hosted more than 200 people, said they had advised residents to use the center’s kitchen facilities for cooking.
An inspection of Clonakilty Lodge’s direct delivery center in Co Cork last September said management “shared concerns” about a woman with young children who appeared to be cooking in her room.
The government has vowed to abolish direct provision and replace it with a new non-profit model of housing for asylum seekers.
Roderic O’Gorman, the minister responsible for equality and inclusion, has said the new model would be based on a “human rights approach with a focus on dignity, respect and privacy for all”.
Last month, Mr O’Gorman said the refugee crisis caused by the war in Ukraine had an “inevitable” impact on his department’s efforts to replace the current direct supply system.
Sinn Féin’s spokesman on equality Pa Daly said that while no one could have planned the situation in Ukraine, the government’s white paper on the abolition of direct facilities was at this stage 14 months old.