A COMMUNITY IN Co Kerry has rallied behind calls from a father-of-two to be allowed remain in the area in order to complete his college course before next summer. 

The man, who fled Afghanistan with his family two years ago to escape persecution from the Taliban, was granted refugee status last year. 

He and his wife and children are still living in International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) accommodation as he says he’s unable to find anywhere he can afford to rent.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous to protect the privacy of his family, told The Journal that finishing his degree at Kerry College is the only way he can get a job, rent a home and provide properly for his family. 

He and his family were moved to an Ipas centre over 140km away in Tipperary last Friday, after being given only ten days’ notice. 

He said that they had built a stable life in Kerry, where one of his daughters is enrolled in the local school. 

“My education is the only hope that I have to give my family stability in life,” he said.

Recently other families staying in Ipas centres have been asked to move to far-flung centres to free up space - something they resist over fears it would uproot the lives and community they have built. 

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan described this recently as “abusing” the system, given that there are others in the Ipas system without stable accommodation.

Ipas accommodation generally ends when legal status is granted to asylum seekers, but Hiqa found earlier this year that 41% of residents who had received refugee status couldn’t move out due to a lack of alternatives because of the housing crisis.

The centre that the family have been moved to in Tipperary does not have heating or hot water and protesters are a regular presence outside, the man said. 

“My wife is seriously scared, she won’t let the kids play outside in case they are taken,” he said, explaining that she has trauma from being tortured by the Taliban.

He said the sudden move had made the family feel as if the progress they’d made since moving to Ireland had been reversed.

“I came here for a secure life but I haven’t been this vulnerable in my life.”

He says he won’t be able to complete his exams and earn his qualification unless he can move back. 

His college, his daughter’s school and a local doctor have all sent letters to the Department of Justice highlighting the family’s living situation.

In a letter seen by The Journal the principal of his daughter’s school said the child is “thriving” in her class and moving her would not only disrupt her education but also the support networks she has formed, causing “lasting effects” on her wellbeing.

The school cited the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and urged the Department to reconsider its decision and act in the best interest of the girl.

The director of his course in college said the man was a “top student” in the class and had been looking forward to getting a job next September from a placement in the course. The degree cannot be finished remotely, the letter said. 

“I would have no problem recommending him to any of the key employers in Kerry,” the course director said. 

Asked for a response to the man’s appeal to return the Department of Justice said that while it could not comment on individuals, Ipas teams work to “minimise disruption where possible” and can make “particular considerations” if people have specific medical needs or are sitting exams.

It added: “Due to the dynamic nature of the system, residents will from time to time be required to move from one centre to another. This may be due to needs that arise for the resident or their family, or may be due to changes at the centre, compliance reasons or closure.”

It said that although Ipas “recognises that people may be integrating into the community, attending education or working”, the dispersed nature of the accommodation system means people may not be able to remain in the community.

Ipas system

The Ipas accommodation system includes 318 accommodation centres located in every county.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has long been critical of the way the system operates - in particular the fact that people seeking asylum in Ireland are housed in centres that are largely privately-run but paid for by the State.

It noted that asylum seekers struggle to access “basic amenities and services” in Ireland, adding that the state should provide accommodation which is safe and free from discrimination.