'Not enough bedding and heaters have failed' - wintry weather shuts down tented site for asylum seekers

"In the accommodation in Newtownmountkennedy, we were told by residents the heaters in the tents failed to warm them and caused power outages by tripping the electricity," Olivia Headon, a community volunteer supporting asylum seekers, told the Irish Independent.

"Approximately 80 residents were relocated on Wednesday to the old Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum, which is also tented accommodation. The Newtownmountkennedy centre is now empty, and we hope it stays that way. We hope it was [emptied] for the health of the men and not because of the protests and the fact it is in Simon Harris's constituency."

"We have moved people who were staying in tents at River Lodge in Newtownmountkennedy to alternative tented accommodation at the Central Mental Hospital which is better equipped to deal with the current weather conditions," a spokesperson said.

"In a further effort to ensure people do not become unaccommodated, we are providing temporary weather-related accommodation at Citywest to adult males following their registration at the International Protection Office (IPO)."

Read at Irish Independent