WATCH: ‘Inhumane’ eviction of 10 families living in Waterford direct provision centre

Ten families living in the Birchwood Direct Provision Centre in Ballytruckle are facing eviction this week.

Many of these families have been told they will be moved to Clonmel or Monaghan in order to move new international protection families into the Birchwood centre.

Last month, 14 families living in the Ocean View Direct Provision Centre in Tramore also received eviction letters. Following a community action day organised by the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU), these evictions were paused by the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).

"The morning after the last community action day in Tramore, all the members received hastily sent letters from IPAS saying the evictions have been paused until further notice,” said Killian Mangan, Communications Officer for CATU Waterford. “We’re trying to also get these evictions at Birchwood paused for now and then permanently stopped."

It is unknown for how long the evictions in Tramore will be paused for, with the local families living in direct provision still uncertain what their future holds.

“The evictions in Tramore were paused, but this leaves people in limbo,” said CATU member Michelle Byrne. “They are paused, but for how long? Are the families just on pause waiting for the next eviction letter to come? You can’t pause someone’s life forever.

“We want Roderic O’Gorman to see this and we want IPAS to see this,” she added.

Mr Mangan said that the residents of Birchwood who are now also facing eviction have been living in the centre for a number of years and are fully integrated into the Waterford community. They have produced references from their schools, workplaces, doctors and community groups in an attempt to halt their evictions.

“It doesn’t make any sense to tear people from the lives they’ve created here. The government want integration and they want people to get jobs, and that’s exactly what’s happened here,” he said. “The government are actively going against the integration policy they purport to have and that shows a level of incompetence.”

CATU said they have attempted to build communication links with IPAS, local TDs and councillors to resolve the situation.

“We haven’t got a single explanation from IPAS, from Roderic O’Gorman or the government," Mr Mangan said, “time is running out and all 10 families here have just days until they will be moved."

CATU's Michelle Byrne added that the direct provision system has failed the residents. 

“Most of the people here do not want to be in a direct provision centre. The system doesn’t work. We have this weird contrast where on the one hand we’re fighting evictions from the direct provision centre, and on the other the direct provision system doesn’t work in the first place."

A resident of Birchwood who is also a member of CATU spoke to the Waterford News & Star on condition of anonymity. He has been living in the centre for over three years with his family.

“I am fighting hard to find a house and I haven’t found any," he said, "landlords won't accept HAP payments and there is a housing crisis, so we are stuck. It is inhumane.”

“People think we want to stay here forever and that is not true. It’s not a good environment for our children. It’s not perfect here, we are suffering and not living a normal life, but we will suffer a lot more if we have to move and it will make everything worse."

He added, “In Tramore they stopped the eviction. I hope the same will happen for us and I hope IPAS understand what we are facing here.”