Meet The Asylum Seekers Fighting For Working Rights In Ireland
By: The Establishment
Tags: Ireland, Refugees, Asylum

By Jack MacGuire

‘I found myself in a rural Mayo centre with everything I possessed, gone. I was so full of rage. I was in such a dark place.’

Direct provision was first established in 2000 in Ireland as an “interim” system whereby non EU asylum seekers were granted accommodation for six months while awaiting an outcome on their International Protection application. According to the Irish Department of Justice, it was established to prevent “the serious prospect of widespread homelessness.”

The process of direct provision has continually sprawled and expanded over the past two decades and now encompasses over 40 different centers managed by private contractors. Of the 5,096 asylum seekers here in 2018, some have waited in cruel limbo — in a Catch-22 better likened to sanctioned internment — for up to 10 years.

High percentages of recent arrivals have come from the likes of Syria, Pakistan and Albania, and include unaccompanied children and those fleeing life-threatening situations such as wars, political violence and persecution due to religion and gender.

Asylum seekers have likened their living conditions to 19th century human zoos.

These individuals now remain in cramped communes across the island, living permanently in unsanitary hostels, mobile homes, and overcrowded B&Bs. An allowance of only €21.60 (about 25 U.S. dollars) is granted to them each week and almost insurmountable restrictions are placed upon their working rights.

Until recently, asylum seekers’ right to work in Ireland was completely denied. However, in May of last year, Ireland’s Supreme Court ruled this ban as unconstitutional. Ireland was one of only two EU countries that still enforced a total ban like this, yet the government‘s attempts to counter this crushing discrimination have been largely insubstantial.

In February 2018, Ireland ostensibly improved the policy with the Employment Permits Act, which on paper meant asylum seekers could now be employed, but in reality simply created complicated and restrictive criteria that was a far cry from a just solution.

Qualifications and degrees obtained by asylum seekers’ in their home countries still were not be recognized, and they could not enroll in Irish universities. But despite these limitations, they were required to find a yearly salary of over 30,000 euro; employers had to give first preference to EU natives and pay 1,000 euro themselves for an asylum seeker’s work permit. Certain sectors — many of which would be the “easiest” to pursue, including social work, hospitality, and construction — continued to be totally off limits.

Unsurprisingly, no application for a work permit was approved under these regulations. In response, a representative group named MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland) launched a “Right to Work” campaign, calling for a right to work without restriction or discrimination.

A launch was held at Dublin’s Liberty Hall on Thursday June 14, ahead of the Irish government’s meeting with the EU directive later that month. Hundreds of supporters turned up as speakers likened their living conditions to 19th century human zoos. They explained the difficulties of living without money, privacy or independence, and called for more Irish support.

Their efforts proved successful. On June 27 it was announced that laws were to be relaxed, thus granting up to 3,000 asylum seekers the right to work. This portion includes only those who have been in the State for nine months or more, and who have not had a first decision made on their refugee status.

Changes were met with mixed reactions by campaigners, who criticized the restrictions that remain. Certain types of employment will still be off limits, such as jobs in the civil and public service, An Garda Síochána (the police force), the Irish army, and more. The IRC (Irish Refugee Council) has insisted that any resulting changes to social welfare benefits for asylum seekers must be carefully monitored as well.

Asylum seekers still cannot obtain drivers’ licenses or open bank accounts. Last week one center even banned its residents from using their mobile phones at night. Clearly, despite progress being made, profound obstacles still prevent asylum seekers from establishing a live-able life in Ireland. The Right to Work Campaign will continuing fighting against the oppressive system, with hopes of permanently dismantling Direct Provision.

Here are some of those who are calling for further action.