Six firms paid more than €5m each as asylum seeker numbers increased by 18%
A surge in the numbers of asylum seekers living in direct provision saw the fees paid to private firms operating the network of centres across the country rise to €72 million last year.
In 2018 the numbers of people being accommodated in direct provision increased 18 per cent, from 5,096 at the start of the year to 5,997 at the end of December. New figures published by the Department of Justice show that six firms received payments of more than €5 million each last year. The figures show that the contractor to receive the highest amount from the Department of Justice wasThe company operates a direct provision centre for 600 asylum seekers at Mosney, Co Meath, and the €8.6 million it received last year brings funds received by the company from the State between 2002 and 2018 to a total of €136 million, for its direct provision service.
The increased numbers of people seeking asylum has had Department of Justice officials scrambling to identify new direct provision centres.
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