Tented camp for 200 people to be set up at Athlone site

A tented camp for 200 people is to be set up at Athlone's asylum seeker accommodation centre this weekend, the Westmeath Independent has established.

In recent weeks, the Government signalled it was considering increasing the capacity of the centre at Lissywollen by adding tented facilities.

The tents in Athlone will not be used for people fleeing the war in Ukraine, but will instead accommodate asylum seekers, formally known as international protection applicants, who have arrived in Ireland from other countries.

In response to a query from the Westmeath Independent, a spokesperson for Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth said this evening that the tented facility was being set up in response to the "large increase in the number of International Protection arrivals into Ireland" in recent months.

The spokesperson said the "temporary structure" was being put in place in order to "meet the immediate and short-term accommodation needs" of people arriving into the country.

The facility being put in place is to consist of "four large tents, each subdivided into mini bedrooms, together with full toilet and washing facilities and the provision of meals."

The spokesperson said the structure is "expected to be set up over the coming weekend".

The Department was "working with others to identify and source longer-term accommodation for international protection applicants," the spokesperson added.

The site at Lissywollen has been used to provide direct provision accommodation, in mobile homes, for more than 20 years.