Ireland's international protection system has "in effect broken down" in recent months, the Chief Executive of the Irish Refugee Council has said, as he described how some asylum seekers are having to sleep rough without access to shelter.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Nick Henderson also said there is "grave concern" for their safety as they have had in many ways "to fend for themselves" and are being targeted in Dublin city.
"They are clearly targeted by the far right and their supporters. So we would have grave concerns for their immediate safety and to the point where then people need to be brought off the streets, put into temporary accommodation or offered temporary accommodation.
"We would also be calling on Dublin Homeless Services to be directed to support people. We know they are stretched already but if additional capacity can be given to those services."
Yesterday, there were confrontations between anti-immigration protestors and gardaí after protesters marched to the International Protection Office on Mount Street in Dublin city centre.
Since March, a growing number of tents have been pitched outside the office and in surrounding streets.
The protestors shouted at asylum seekers, telling them they were not welcome and there were also confrontations with gardaí, as some pursued a man they objected to.
On Friday night a fire was started after a protest called against the presence of people camping at the back of the derelict St Andrew's Court flats between Pearse Street and Holles Street.
Mr Henderson said it is no longer tenable that the Department of Housing and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive say people in this situation cannot be supported because of their status and country of origin, for example.
Mr Henderson highlighted how some single men, women and couples seeking asylum here have not been provided with accommodation.
He said they have been provided with some "ad hoc supports" from organisations like the Capuchin Centre who are "doing their very best" to help.
He said on 27 April the Irish Refugee Council wrote to the Department of Housing, recommending that it instruct the local authorities, including the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE), to expand their homeless services to assist those sleeping rough.
They have not yet received a response to that letter, he said.
"We did hear during the week there may be some movement there but as it stands the DRHE and their services are stating to us, sort of point blank, that people in this situation are not entitled to access existing mainstream homeless services."
He said they recognise the work being done by small organisations including activists and volunteers who are trying to help but said it is not appropriate they have to step in and fill the void.
He said there is a clear obligation and responsibility on the Government regarding people coming here seeking international protection.
Mr Henderson also described recent incidents in which asylum seekers are being targeted as "deeply distressing, "shocking" and "disgraceful".
"To flagrantly abuse people who are sleeping rough, who are seeking asylum in Ireland is just disgraceful.
"To then burn out their tents and then yesterday to go to another location and directly abuse people and scream at people and threaten people is just disgraceful."
He said it comes just three months after there were protests outside Direct Provision centres but then "there were walls to protect people".
"Now we are in a situation where there is nothing. People are on the streets so it is most serious."
