18th September 2014, 2pm
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Asylum seekers at a second Cork reception centre have protested against the
unfairness of the direct provision system.
Up to 90 residents of the centre known as the former Ashbourne House Hotel
in Glounthaune began this early morning highlighting the delays in
processing applications.
Residents say the conditions of the facility are quite good, and better
than the Kinsale Road Reception Centre on Airport Hill where other
residents have been protesting since Monday.
The key demand in Glounthane is faster processing of asylum applications,
and more private personal space especially for married couples or partners.
Many of the residents are children, who were born in Ireland, but who are
also “in limbo” in the system waiting for their parents asylum applications
to be processed.
This boy says who spoke to TheCork.ie says he dreams of having a normal
family life if -and when- his parents papers are granted. He says he feels
like he is in an open prison.