The refugee centre in the Citywest Convention Centre has temporarily shut its emergency accommodation area for adult International Protection applicants
It follows a brawl in the centre which resulted in three men being hospitalised last night. The transit hub will remain open for all other matters including the processioning of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine
Gardai were called out to the Citywest refugee centre last night just after 6.30pm due to two groups of men fighting. Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland co-founder Lucky Khambule said overcrowded conditions and a mix of cultures were the reasons for the incident.
Read more: 'Overcrowding' blamed for Citywest refugee centre brawl
The original capacity for the centre was 370 people. However, the centre is currently accommodating 800 and there were 900 people there last week.
A statement from Minister Roderic O'Gorman's Department of Integration said the response to the migration crisis has entered an "extremely difficult phase". It read: "The response to the ongoing migration crisis has now entered an extremely difficult phase, with insufficient accommodation available nationwide for International Protection applicants, and the outlook for accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine is also challenging.
"As a result of this, it has now become necessary to pause the provision of emergency shelter for IP adults arriving into the Transit Hub at Citywest. The Transit Hub will remain open for all other matters, including processing of accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP).
"The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) will continue to provide accommodation for IP families with children. Due to the nationwide shortage of available accommodation for IP applicants, particularly single males, the Transit Hub has been providing emergency shelter while applicants wait to be assigned to accommodation.
"It is no longer possible to provide emergency shelter to IP adults as the Transit Hub has now reached capacity. Any International Protection applicants who are not provided with accommodation upon arrival or when applying for International Protection at the international Protection Office will have their contact details taken and be contacted as soon as accommodation becomes available.
"The policy will be kept under review, taking account of arrivals of Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection and International Protection applicants and of available accommodation."
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