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48 hours given to family seeking asylum in Wicklow to leave accommodation

Just under 48 hours notice – that’s the amount of time one family who are currently seeking asylum and living in emergency accommodation have been given about plans to move their family. The family from Albania were informed on Monday that they are being moved accommodation to Monaghan, by bus, this morning at 9am. They’ve three young children, with one settled in school and the other in crèche. For more we’re joined by Naomi Fitzpatrick of Wicklow Welcomes, who knows the family well. ******************************************************************************************* Newstalk Breakfast reached out to the Department of Justice on the matter and received the following statement: "Temporary emergency accommodation has been used since September 2018 to ensure that applicants for International Protection are provided with accommodation as required under the relevant legislation. All applicants are notified that the accommodation being provided is on a short-term basis until a designated Accommodation Centre has become available. Such a move from emergency accommodation to a dedicated  accommodation centre, enables the families to have accommodation suitable to their needs for the duration of their application for international protection. While the move may cause initial difficulties for the families, placement in emergency accommodation is temporary and the International Protection Accommodation Service (formerly RIA)  makes every effort to accommodate families in accommodation centres as soon as possible in the interest of providing stability and the support of the structures in place in our centres. "   see more