VOICES FROM DIRECT PROVISION
"I am living in St. Patrick's Direct Provision Centre in County Monaghan 5 years. Every Christmas is a horror movie for many residents by the management with the food provided to us. This is the vegetables they provided to us. Many are afraid to complain because Manager usually comes to your door at 6am to intimidate us after reporting to IPAS. The Assistant Manager as well have access on her phone to all CCTV cameras (over 36 cameras) even one over the ladies washroom. Please let us know who to report these issues too. Right now as I am speaking there is a Covid-19 outbreak at this centre"
"I am living in St. Patrick's Direct Provision Centre in County MONAGHAN 6 years with my 3 kids. Me and the children share one room and every day we have to walk to the canteen for food and now with Covid-19 we line up in the rain sometimes for hours. This is the chicken they give for dinner daily. Sometime it is smelling and not cooked well (a new chef they have in the kitchen). We have complained to the Manager but he claims we are seeing things or trouble makers at the centre. This food is not healthy for my kids because they vomit most of the time. We are afraid because sometimes you complained and the Manager calls Tulsa on you as a bad parent at the centre. Please help us"
"I am staying at Slane Direct Provision Centre in Co. MEATH since 2019. This centre is owned by TRENTHALL Ltd from Carrickmacross in MONAGHAN. Everyday they serve us this food for dinner. The Manager only visit once a month and don't talk to us. If anyone complaints they send them to another centre worst. My friend is very depressed in this place. It has been over 12 months and no interview by IPAS. "
"I am living in St. Patrick's Direct Provision Centre in County MONAGHAN for over 4 years. During Covid-19 I complained about the 2 slices of bread they give a family daily at this place. Now our kids are going back to school and they are giving each child a pack of 6 slices of chicken (1 slice per day) to make sandwich daily. They usually make us form a line of over 100 residents at the canteen for hours and to be insulted by a security guard smoking a pipe. I asked the Asst. Manager if we can store this chicken and cheese for the week in a refrigerator because we have none in our room which is too small and full of mould and cockroaches. She said that IPAS Budget don't provide for refrigeration and I should be grateful or it will affect my case to stay in Ireland. I am very sad now because my two kids cry everyday because other students make fun of them for the same sandwiches they bring to school daily"
"I am devastated by the treatment of owners of Direct Provision Centre in County OFFALY. I am staying here for 18 months. First IPAS told us that it was an emergency centre. During Covid-19 restrictions 4 persons were sharing a room and then we complained to this page with a video the Manager came to our room shouting at us that we are in big trouble for making a video. Today we have reached a breaking point, this is the lunch they serve us everyday and sometimes it is expired with many kids getting sick. The Owner and his wife usually comes and shout with threats of deportation if anyone voice their opinion in this centre. Please contact the Minister of Justice about this situation for us"
"I am living in Miltown Malbay Direct Provision Centre in County CLARE. We have sent several emails to IPAS and Department of Justice about the living conditions here with water entering from the roof over my bed and the quality of food daily. This is my dinner last night. I am afraid to complain because my previous roommate asked the manager for vegetables and got assaulted and shouted by him. Please report this to someone to help us here"
"I am living in Traceys Hotel Direct Provision Centre in county MONAGHAN. I am also about to give birth to a baby. We are not allowed to cook and this is the lunch they provide everyday to me. On many occasions we asked to speak to the Manager to discuss this issue and she refused and always tells us to contact IPAS or go back to our country for good food. I am very worried to lose this baby. Please help us"
"I am living in St. Patrick's Direct Provision Centre in County MONAGHAN for over 6 years with my child. Every morning since Covid-19 lockdown started we are given 2 slices of bread (no visible expiry date) for breakfast. This manager is very horrible last week he was walking around the centre without any protective mask and shouting at children that have no playground but have to use the hall way. Our immune system and mind are being damage daily by this mistreatment. I usually use antidepressants but can't get any from the GPs at this time. Please report this case about the food to someone because everyone is afraid of this Manager in the centre"
"I am crying as I write this from St. Patrick's Direct Provision Centre in County MONAGHAN. I have been in DP for 5 years with my Husband and 4 children living in one room and sleeping on 2 king size mattresses on the floor every night. The Management last week banned everyone from using the kitchens to cook and stop giving us our weekly grocery allowances. This evening I went to the canteen to collect dinner for my family of 6 persons and the main chef and her 2 daughters were very abusive to me for asking for more chips and salad. I went back to my room and continue crying for these people behaviour to my family. My husband decided not to eat and give this food to the kids and we will go hungry tonight. This food we eat every day and can't build up our immune system against Covid-19. Please tell us who to report this matter too because we can't deal with our dignity being taken away in this centre."
"My brother was taken to Tallaght University Hospital yesterday and tested positive after waiting 6 days in Balseskin Direct Provision Centre in Dublin. I am still in isolation block B and the Manager told me to go back to my room. This is what they giving us for lunch. How is this going to build up our immune system against Covid-19 virus? Help us get tested soon please!!
"I was transferred to the Travel Lodge Hotel Direct Provision Centre in GALWAY CITY last week because our centre was overcrowded and had a few persons tested positive for Covid-19. This hotel is charging us to do our laundry and provides this amount of eggs everyday for breakfast for over 50 persons. Many of the residents are getting flu because of this unbalanced meal and we are not allowed to go outside for 2 weeks. Can you contact someone in authority about our meals and laundry situation?"
"I am living in Treacys Hotel Direct Provision Centre in COUNTY MONAGHAN with my family. We are not allowed to cook and I am pregnant. This is the food they serve us everyday and if we ask for more or vegetables or salad the manager gets upset and rude to us. He says it will affect our case if we complain too much or IPAS will transfer us to worst centres. I am very worried and not Sure what to do because I don't want to lose this baby. Please do something to help us in Monaghan"
"I am living in depression everyday in St. Patrick's Direct Provision Centre in County MONAGHAN for over 5 years with my husband and 2 kids. We had a meeting with the manager about our weekly meals for Ramadan because of our fasting times and she was very rude and aggressive to our request for meals. She claim that the Justice Department can only provide 2 dates per an adult daily and 1/4 bottle of syrup for a muslim family meal times during Ramadan. This Manager don't care about us and this is not new because she went to Thailand last month despite Covid-19 Alerts. Please can some share this photo and write the Minister of Justice because this is not worth 34 million Euros Contract to this centre"