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Knockalisheen Residents Tell Inspectors Centre “Not Suitable For People To Live In”

The residents of an accommodation centre for asylum seekers in south-east Clare have told inspectors the site is “not suitable for people to live in”.

A Health Information and Quality inspection of the Knockalisheen Accommodation Centre has identified “deficits across a number of the national standards”, with mould, algae and insects found to be widespread.

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HIQA conducted an announced inspection of the Aramark-run facility in lower Meelick across October 22nd and 23rd last year.

A total of 289 residents were present on the day including 38 children, with accommodation spread across six blocks and 13 military tents accommodating up to eight persons each.

Inspectors found that “there continued to be deficits across a number of the national standards” and that some of these impacted on residents’ health, safety and welfare.

It was found that sufficient action hadn’t been taken to ensure a zero tolerance approach to violence while the standard of the accommodation meant some residents lived in “cramped, undignified and unsafe spaces”.

Damp and mould were observed in some bedrooms and bathrooms within the accommodation blocks while “numerous insects” were found in two tents.

A number of residents told inspectors they often felt unsafe and had witnessed incidents which made them “fearful” or “scared”.

Residents spoke highly of the staff however and HIQA noted that “some action had been taken to address deficits” but “governance and management systems needed to be developed further” to ensure a “safe, comfortable and dignified environment”.

Knockalisheen was found not to be compliant in seven of the 24 areas in which it was assessed, partially compliant in a further 11 and substantially compliant in two.

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