Direct Provision: a Modern Problem
by Cathy Buckmaster
The curtain has been well and truly lifted in recent weeks on issues of inequality, systematic racism and discrimination—and in Ireland, one of the starkest issues has been the thorny subject of Direct Provision.
The system of Direct Provision was established in 1999 by the Irish government in response to an influx of asylum applications. In essence, it’s designed to provide aid to asylum seekers in the form of full room and board, while their application for refugee status gets processed.
However, designated accommodation centres are managed by for-profit hospitality businesses, with room and board offered in lieu of cash payments; those in the system are entitled to personal allowances of just €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child each week. Essentially, these centres perpetuate a system that separates refugees from the country in which they seek asylum, suspending them in a kind of no-man's land when it comes to their legal status — a status that can last for years before a final decision is made.
Journalist Jane McNamara, currently writing for The Echo, has created a podcast that addresses this complex subject. The series, entitled Modern Problem, features an original soundtrack by Irish artists and its first episode takes listeners through Direct Provision, step-by-step. With contributions from academics, asylum seekers in Ireland and the general public, the show starts by breaking down the historical context, before tackling the controversy surrounding Direct Provision. Crucially, the podcast reflects on whether the system will be considered a national scandal in years to come.
McNamara spoke to District Magazine about the podcast, explaining: “I started working in a newsroom in a radio station a few months ago and was suddenly confronted with my own lack of knowledge on social issues that I had thought I was fairly well informed on — Direct Provision was one of them. I started to tell my friends and family what I was learning and realised a lot of people were very unaware of the realities of the system. I felt a deep sense of shame about that, honestly. The system is so complex so I decided to make a podcast about what I found so other people could also educate themselves.”
It’s an issue that Irish organisations dedicated to fighting racism are passionate about – like Black Pride Ireland and the Irish Network Against Racism, which lobby the Government for change and mobilise public support. Their efforts may be starting to pay off, with the Green Party — one component of the current coalition government of Ireland — demanding the abolition of Direct Provision during formation talks.
Though hopes that the the system could be ended within the lifetime of this government are justified, there will remain plenty to discuss on Modern Problem as McNamara and her guests explore the future for asylum seekers in Ireland.