Almost 400 recently arrived asylum seekers are now without State-provided accommodation. 

According to the latest figures from the Department of Integration, 376 recently arrived asylum seekers are now without accommodation. 

A total of 500 new male international protection applicants have presented to the International Protection Office since Monday, December 4th. 

The Government has said despite efforts to source emergency accommodation, it's not in a position to accommodate all newly arrived international protection applicants. 

Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) founder Lucky Khambule, however, said the Government is "obliged" to help those arriving in Ireland.

“Every day we receive calls from people thinking we can be able to give them support... but we can’t help everybody every day.” 

Rise in homeless asylum seekers

Mr Khambule also said the number of homeless international protection applicants will rise much quicker now that the slower Christmas season is over. 

“The numbers will have dropped in December and Christmas time,” he said. 

“Everything is open now and the numbers will rise, and there’s no plan in place to help these people. 

“They are on the streets; they are literally on the streets.” 

He also said anti-immigration protestors have prevented many asylum seekers from getting accommodation. 

“There is a group of people that organise intelligently, and they stop those moves,” he said. 

“We have seen premises earmarked to house people seeking protection torched. 

“And people are saying they're not sure they're going to be safe if people can so easily put buildings alight.” 

New reception centres

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman has said the Government plans to build six new reception centres for asylum seekers in 2024 to meet the current demand. 

These centres could house between 500 and 750 asylum seekers. 

Cabinet will review a revised version of a white paper on direct provision in January. 

Minister of State Ossian Smyth said changes to how the State accommodates asylum seekers “makes sense”. 

“We have 100,000 people being accommodated,” he said. “The Government has really been scrambling to find these places as fast as possible. 

“It actually makes sense for the Government to actually be involved in building them themselves. 

“This is the Government actually getting involved in building asylum seeker centres themselves.” 

'We don't believe anything'

Mr Khambule, however, said MASI members won’t believe it until they see construction begin. 

“2024 was supposed to be the year they said they’re going to end direct provision,” he said. 

“We don’t believe anything coming from his mouth anymore.” 

The Department of Integration is forecasting the arrival of between 10,000 and 15,000 asylum seekers in 2024. 

On December 17th, a fire broke out at a hotel in Rosscahill, Co Galway, that was reportedly due to house 70 asylum seekers.