The Ombudsman has again expressed serious concern about the unsuitability of accommodation in the Direct Provision system, particularly when it comes to COVID-19.

According to Peter Tyndall, the highly contagious nature of the virus has highlighted how unsuitable it is to have three or more people who are not from the same family, living in the same room for a large amount of time.

He pointed out that this situation exists for many people currently living in Direct Provision centres and those living in emergency accommodation.

"Current Direct Provision accommodation is not appropriate for anything other than short-term stay. Emergency accommodation is even more inappropriate. It is unacceptable that people who have sought refuge here can find themselves in accommodation that is entirely unsuitable for a prolonged period - up to 16 months and longer in some cases," he said.

Mr Tyndall made his comments after the publication of his third annual commentary on his experience of dealing with complaints from people living in Direct Provision.

The number of people living in Direct Provision increased by 30% during 2018, and by a further 16% by early 2020.

Staff from the Ombudsman's office visited 26 accommodation centres in 2019 and the office recorded a 10.5% increase in the number of complaints made - from 152 in 2018 to 168 in 2019.

These complaints centred on the length of time in emergency accommodation, transfers to other accommodation, access to schools for children, food facilities, and access to GP services and medical cards.

Mr Tyndall noted that the most significant change he saw in 2019 was the increase in the number of applicants seeking international protection, who were temporarily living in emergency accommodation in hotels, guesthouses, and B&B accommodation. At the start of 2020, there were 1,524 people in 37 different locations across the country.

He also pointed out that the McMahon report, which is the recognised benchmark for Direct Provision services, had previously criticised the Department of Justice and Equality's use of a definition from the 1966 Housing Act as the minimum space required for a bedroom.

The measurement was little more than the space required for a double bed. However the department continued to use this definition. In response to the Ombudsman, the department said that after the COVID-19 pandemic, it intends to move towards having no more than three people who are not family members sharing accommodation.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman has commended the the work of the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), along with other agencies, in responding to threats from COVID-19, including moving over 300 people out of emergency accommodation.

However, Mr Tyndall emphasised that it was the physical constraints of current accommodation centres, and how applicants for international protection in the Direct Provision sector were being treated, which was of most concern to him.

The Direct Provision Report 2019 can be downloaded here.