Delighted with my jumper, stickers and info from Say No to Direct Provision in Ireland.
There are so many ways you can help, even an email to your local TD's, having a look at the page for info, statistics and realities of direct provision and please share the info with those around you. The more awareness the better.
The page are currently collecting and wrapping Christmas presents for the kids trapped in this inhumane system. Private companies are funded millions by the government and the "services" they actually provide you wouldn't put a dog through. This includes slop food, sometimes being served in plastic bags, accommodation is basic to say the least with less freedom and comfort than most prisons and these people are treated as sub-humans with management making it very clear that they mean nothing to them.
No human being should be "illegal", processing of asylum seekers' applications to work/stay here should not be taking years, kids are growing up in these hell holes. Nobody leaves their country, home, friends, family, job, all they know, risk their lives in leaving and getting to their destination unless they are truly desperate. People are dying in direct provision and as a nation of warm, caring, giving people, surely we want more for the vulnerable looking to us for a better chance at life.
Let's not forget those who lost their lives during their desperate flee, smuggled by greedy, psychopathic human traffickers, in particular the recent 'Essex Lorry Deaths'. Too many are profiting from human suffering. Yes, this is costing the state and us the taxpayer millions but that is not because of the people that come over to us for refuge, surely providing education, jobs and opportunities is the first way to cut costs. The millions wasted is due to the corrupt systems in place.
The government do have a plan to end direct provision by 2024 but it's reported as all money and budgets leaving so many saying "look after our own first", our own have sought refuge in many countries over the years, particularly England and America and many of us wouldn't be here today only for that fact.