Palestinian refugee faces being sent to tent in Clare following Waterford eviction

A Palestinian refugee living in direct provision is facing eviction from his community in Tramore and being sent to communal tented accommodation in Co. Clare.

An eviction notice was recently given to Adham Yosef, a Palestinian refugee who has lived in Ocean View Direct Provision Centre for the past three years. He was granted asylum status just under one year ago.

According to Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) Waterford, of which Adham is a member, he has applied for HAP (Housing Assitance Payment) and has made various attempts to find accommodation. Adham has also made efforts to integrate into the community, having worked in Treacy’s Hotel.

Speaking on facing the threat of eviction, Adham said, “As a refugee from Palestine, I’ve been doing my best to rebuild my life here in Ireland. I’ve been living in Tramore for some time now, and it’s where I found a sense of peace and connection.

“My girlfriend and I have been together for one year and eight months and she lives in Waterford City, so being close to her has been a source of emotional support during a very difficult period.

“Unfortunately, the house I was expecting to move into on the 13th is no longer available, and with the severe housing crisis, it’s been nearly impossible to find another place.

“Being relocated to tented accommodation in another county feels like a major setback and is causing a lot of distress, especially when I am so close to finding stability.” 

Adham’s girlfriend, Luayslla Correia, said that the situation is "heartbreaking".

“The thought of him being sent to a tented site, far from me and the small support network we’ve built, is deeply upsetting. We’ve been working so hard toward a stable life together, and this sudden move would only set him back to square one."

Adham was due to be evicted on Monday, June 9. In an update provided to the Waterford News & Star from CATU, it is now understood that locks at Ocean View have been changed, rendering Adham homeless.

A CATU spokesperson said: “We’re trying our best to get alternative accommodation for him, but are outraged that IPAS evicted a Palestinian refugee in such a sneaky manner, while we at CATU Waterford were still waiting to hear back from them and still haven't received any response.”