Some 35% of TDs believe direct provision is an inhumane system.

That is according to an exclusive survey for Newstalk, which shows the vast majority of TDs think there needs to be changes to asylum seeker accommodation.

Some 54 of the current 154 TDs replied to this survey - with 35% of them saying direct provision is inhumane.

Nearly two-thirds would not use the word 'inhumane' but believe that the system needs to be reformed.

Almost all TDs contacted said asylum seekers are spending too long in direct provision centres.

But many, including the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, say the housing crisis means up to 850 asylum seekers who have had their applications to stay granted are still stuck in direct provision.

The survey of TDs also found two-thirds of them have visited a direct provision centre at some point.

TDs have called for reform of the system to improve conditions and provide better education supports and opportunities to work.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has defended the system: saying that while it is an imperfect system, it is not inhumane.

All this week on Newstalk we are exploring the reality of Direct Provision using the hashtag #DirectProvisionNT

Reporting by Sean Defoe