Galway Advertiser 2003/2003_03_13/GA_13032003_E1_025.pdf 

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Refugees and Galwegians get equal priority for housing list
BY J O Galway other LAVELLE w h e n applying for housing, with neither g r o u p given priority o v e r the

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people and refugees a r e t r e a t e d e q u a l l y b y G a l w a y C i t y C o u n c i l a n d i n all cases priority b e i n g b a s e d o n i n d i v i d u a l h o u s i n g n e e d s . inevitable strain it is putting on the housing list, councillors voiced their concerns over what funding was being provided for the housing of those on the housing list by the Government. Cllr Angela Lupton said that the council needed many more houses in Galway to accommodate the increased number of those seeking accommodation as local people are skipping back on the line. According to the report, the number of asylum seekers living in the city, who had not gained refugee status in December 2002

That is according to Ciaran Hayes, Director of Housing, speaking at Monday night's council meeting after producing the latest report on the number of asylum seekers living in the city. He said that both asylum seekers and Galweigans are put on the same list when seeking accommodation. Of the different categories of those eligible to be accepted on the list such as the disabled, the elderly. Travellers and those who have no capacity to find housing from their own resources, the majority of refugees in the city fall into this latter category. Those who are believed to be priority cases are dealt with first, whether Irish or non-nationals. The report showed that in 2002, the number of asylum seekers increased by 547. Due to the increase and the

was 1,898, an increase of 557 since January 2002. The number of asylum seekers who were living in the city in December 2002 and had gained refugee status was 1,523, an increase of 773. Those who gained refugee status or those who are entitled to stay in the country until their child reaches 18 years of age are eligible to be considered for housing provided by the council. However Mr Hayes insisted that these figures show only a snap shot of the number at any time, adding that there was a lot of movement of refugees to and from Galway city.

It was only when the council attempted to get in contact with those people who have applied for housing, would they know if the housing was still desired. He added that the majority of refugees in Galway had Irish-born children but that it was difficult to say if the numbers would change, pending the High Court challenge of the right of asylum seekers or refugees to stay in Ireland if their children were Irish born. Cllr Lupton asked if the Government was funding the council to deal with the extra influx of people.

Cllr Michael Leahy said he hoped the Department of Justice would inform the council of how many refugees they had to house as if they could not plan ahead, the housing strategy would go off the rails. Mr Hayes explained that the city council was responsible for housing both refugees and asylum seekers, be it through rented shared accommodation, private rented accommodation or the provision of hostel accommodation. However these funds are 100% refundable from the Government.

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