A DIRECT PROVISION centre in Limerick is set to shut next month, the Department of Justice has said.

There had been calls to shut the centre in recent times, with migrant rights charity Doras publishing a report last month on conditions at Mount Trenchard.

The report raised concerns in areas including the safety and wellbeing of residents, the isolated location of the centre, physical conditions and operational and staff issues.

The site is around 40km from Limerick city and 5km from Foynes Village.

One resident told Doras that Mount Trenchard was like an “open prison” and compared it to “Guantanamo Bay” due to the remoteness of the centre. 

Last month, Doras director John Lannon said many of these issues had been raised in a previous report in 2015.

Related Reads

Student living in Direct Provision says jail would be 'better than being here'

“Despite this, the living conditions and standards in Mount Trenchard remain largely the
same,” he said. “It is apparent now that the centre needs to be closed down and residents moved to appropriate accommodation.”

A department spokesperson told TheJournal.ie this evening: “The contract with the service provider for Mount Trenchard ends in February.

“The department will not be renewing the contract and will be re-accommodating all remaining residents in some of our other centres in the coming weeks.”