'Cramped, over-crowded and unsafe' living conditions at Athlone accommodation centre

Inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) who carried out an inspection of the Athlone Accommodation Centre found that its accommodation was “not adequate” to meet the needs of those seeking international protection.

It stated that residents at the centre in Lissywollen were living in “cramped, and sometimes overcrowded and unsafe conditions which did not promote their rights”.

The report, which was carried out over a two-day period last August, also found "risks to the health, safety and welfare of some residents which had not been assessed or acted upon”.

But the report also noted that, "From speaking with residents, and through the observations made during the inspection, the inspectors found that residents were for the most part happy and safe living in the centre.”

HIQA said the communal area and the grounds of the centre were “appealing for residents” with the design and layout of the accommodation not providing residents with an “accessible, comfortable and homely” living environment.

Inspectors found some cases where children, including teenagers, were sharing a bedroom with a parent. “In some of these cases, children and teenagers were sharing a bed with a sibling or a parent”.

One of the families was “distressed” as they “did not have enough beds” to accommodate the number of individuals living in the mobile home.

Over the two-day period that the HIQA inspections were carried out in Athlone, 191 residents were on site, 92 of whom were children.

Beds provided for the children in the 100 on-site mobile homes were “approximately 29% smaller than standard sized single beds” which the inspectors said were suitable for smaller children but “not adequate” for older children and teenagers “particularly on a long-term basis”.

Residents' bedrooms were “significantly smaller” than the minimum space requirements of the national standards, which meant that adults and children, had “little room to stand or change clothes in private”.

The bathrooms were also found to be “very small” with the space for showering limited to such an extent that it meant that some adults “could not shower in an upright position”.

The condition of the mobile homes “varied greatly” with the recently-refurbished units in “good condition" while others were found to be “very poor”.

The inspectors found evidence of “health and safety risks” such as “significant mould in places and broken fixtures”. They also found that “pests were evident” in one mobile home.

“Some family members who spoke with the inspectors were quite distressed about their living environment which the inspectors observed and found to be unfit for food preparation or habitation by residents,” stated the report.

It added that, when this was brought to their attention by inspectors, the service provider “took immediate action” to put “appropriate measures in place” for one family where there was “significant overcrowding and where health and safety risks were present”.

Due to the level of variance in the standard of accommodation and risks to the safety, health and well-being of residents in some mobile homes at the Athlone Accommodation Centre, HIQA issued an "urgent compliance plan" to the service provider, Aramark.

This resulted in assurances being submitted to HIQA by Aramark that the accommodation was “reviewed, risks assessed and a plan was in place to ensure the accommodation was fit for purpose”.

HIQA found Athlone Accommodation Centre to be non-compliant and in the red high risk category across nine separate areas.

It requested the service provider take the necessary steps to, among others, protect residents from abuse and neglect; promote their safety and welfare; respect, safeguard and promote the rights and diversity of each resident; provide accommodation which is homely, accessible and sufficiently furnished; promote the privacy and dignity of family units, and ensure that children and their caregivers are provided with child-friendly accommodation which “respects and promotes family life and is informed by the best interests of the child”.

The report also found good facilities and communal spaces; adequate staff levels; safe and effective recruitment systems; a management team who were “well-intended” and eager to comply with the standards, and whose primary focus was “the wellbeing of residents”.

It added this was evidenced by the “positive and supportive relationships” that staff had with residents of the facility.