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The issue of food was a big one for asylum seekers in Ireland this Christmas. According to the latest figures from the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), there are currently 7,435 people living in direct provision hostels and hotels (most of which are not self-catering). Nearly one third of these people are children aged 17 and younger. 

So what degree of celebration was to be found in these centres this year? Metro Éireann spoke with asylum seekers in various accommodation centres around Ireland to find out of this Christmas was a happy one. All names have been changed to protect their identities.

Amy is living in a hostel in Dublin with her two children, aged eight and six. Originally from Nigeria, Amy has been at the hostel for two years.

“We are Christian and so Christmas is important to us,” she said. “On the morning we were treated to a full Irish breakfast. The dinner was not so good. Our hostel managers organised decorations in the dining hall and they brought a Santa Claus to visit the children which was good.” 

Santa brought her daughter some colouring books and a Barbie doll. “My son received a swing ball set, but that is still in its box as there is nowhere to play it.” 

Amy tried to get a party organised at her hostel but was not allowed. “We went to the managers and asked if the adults could have a get together, play some music,” she said. “They told us that we couldn’t as it was against the rules. We appealed to them and said that there would be no alcohol, only minerals to drink. But still they said it was not possible.

“It was a pity. I would have liked a glass of wine, but we would have been happy just with minerals. There was no transport on the day either so we could not go to visit other friends.”  

Although many hostels provided a traditional turkey and ham menu on the day, it seems that asylum seekers would have been happier with their own traditional fare. ‘We would cook rice and fish if we were to have a choice’ was a sentiment echoed by many. One group, at Kingshill Road in Cork, managed to convince management to host a party. Partly funded by a local community group, New Communities Drug Awareness, the party had a small budget to hire a caterer to provide food to suit most tastes. And other events were organised during the Christmas period for the children at Kingshill by management and local groups such as Nasc and the Echo newspaper. 

“Although there are many Africans here, different parts of Africa have totally different tastes and dishes,” one resident told Metro Eireann. “The caterer toned down the spicy foods a bit so that everybody could enjoy. The Kenyans and Nigerians and the other Africans here from West Africa all contributed something. We made Asian and eastern European food too. The hotel management contributed orange squash and biscuits.” 

However, after the party, during Christmas Day itself “it became very boring,” according to one resident, “many people are lonely here.” There was no alcohol supplied “but it would have been nice to have a glass of wine,” one resident suggested. “Christmas comes only once a year.”

Michael, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been living at a hostel in Limerick for the past four years. 

“The hostel I am in is mostly adult males and there are no families or children, so it was quite low key,” he said. “All the years I have spent Christmas there we do not make party or do anything special.

“We each received a two-litre bottle of 7-Up and some crisps and some chocolate. What was much appreciated was the increase in our welfare payment. Usually we get 19 euro a week and at Christmas we received 180 euro. It will help a lot in the months ahead.” 

Another resident told of the children in her hostel being treated to a trip to Santa at a local arts centre. “But the event was not very well notified to us, so some parents did not go as they were not aware of it at the time. It may have been a last minute thing though. The management at our hostel did do some decorations and special food.” 

Residents at one hostel in Clondalkin, west Dublin, received a delivery of gifts and cash donations from local church groups. One resident told Metro Eireann: “I couldn’t believe that our minister arrived up at the hostel with bags of gifts for the children and with cash. He just handed it to me to share with others. It was very generous and kind.”