Signs offering asylum seekers higher weekly allowances were put up 'inadvertently'
The Dáil heard that a sign had been put up at the IPAS office “advising those who are now in tented accommodation that they can have an increased daily expense allowance if they leave that tented accommodation”
Signs that were erected advising asylum seekers that they could avail of higher allowances if they left tented accommodation were put up “inadvertently”, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has said.
The Dáil heard on Wednesday from Labour leader Ivana Bacik that a sign had been put up at the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) office on Mount Street in Dublin “advising those who are now in tented accommodation that they can have an increased daily expense allowance if they leave that tented accommodation”.
As the Government ran out of accommodation last year, it announced that those without State-provided accommodation could receive an extra allowance worth €75 a week. This was on top of the weekly allowance of €38.80 and brought the full allowance to €113.80 a week.
Speaking on Thursday, Minister Humphreys said that the “sign was put up inadvertently and was subsequently taken down” and that “anybody who was moved from the canal did not receive a payment to do so”.
“I understand that there was a notice put up but nobody that was moved out of the tents have benefitted from that payment,” she said.
“There is a lot of misinformation going around about payments to people who are seeking asylum. If you come to this country and you are looking for asylum, you get a payment of €38 per week. That is to cover incidental basic costs that you have. When you go into the State accommodation, you receive that payment.
“If for some reason you’ve come to this country and you’re seeking asylum and you find your own accommodation, you can qualify and apply for and receive an additional payment of €75. The vast majority of asylum seekers in this country are receiving the €38 per week.”
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