The Housing Minister is being urged to provide additional support to asylum seekers provide to help them access accommodation services and sort out Housing Assistance Payment.

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD made the call to Minister Eoghan Murphy to assist the 639 former asylum seekers who have been granted residency status but are still trapped in Direct Provision services.

Deputy Ó Broin said: "People who spend time direct provision face additional barriers to accessing rented accommodation and Minister Murphy must ensure that those who have successfully gotten their status aren’t placed at greater risk of homelessness due to a lack of adequate cultural support and interpretation services.

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"The Minister for Social Protection must also ensure that people who have obtained their status receive their full job seekers allowance payment, rather than the €19.50 paid to them in direct provision, so that they can save for a deposit.

"The current recommended amount under the Exceptional Needs Payments that the Minister has stated could support people move from s from direct provision accommodation into the community is too low and wouldn’t come close to covering the cost of a deposit and first month's rent. For example for a couple with two children it is €292.30.

"All The relevant government departments must work together to ensure that no one in the State is made homeless because of an inability to access permanent accommodation."

(CD)