ICCL with IRC and Nasc have sent a joint letter to the Department of Justice expressing concerns that confining all residents of the Direct Provision Centre in Caherciveen to the Centre may constitute arbitrary detention and/ or discrimination. The new powers of detention under the Emergency Health Act do not provide for the detention of an entire institution but only for individuals with particular safeguards, including a right to review.
If residents are being told on an ‘advice’ only basis that they shouldn’t leave this has not been made clear by management. We have been told by residents that they believe they are not allowed to leave the premises. Residents also reported that gates were padlocked.