Overcrowding in direct provision centres increased last year and 96 adult asylum-seekers have been forced to live in tented accommodation, according to an overview report on inspections. In addition, nearly a third of accommodation centres inspected by Hiqa had significant health and safety concerns, including fire safety, structural issues, mould and pests. There are currently 30 accommodation centres under Hiqa’s remit, around 10pc of accommodation settings for people seeking asylum in Ireland. “When combined with limited options for residents with status or valid permission to remain in Ireland to move out of their accommodation centres, overcrowding continued to be a feature of many centres,” the report stated. “Despite these ongoing challenges, our report found that many residents had positive experiences of living in accommodation centres.

Source: Irish Independent March 04, 2026 00:37 UTC