Newly-arrived asylum seekers say they were given sleeping bags, but were not provided with any tents after being told there is no State-provided accommodation for them.
The latest figures from the Department of Integration show there are 207 recently arrived International Protection Applicants in Ireland who were told there was no bed for them.
The Government ceased offering beds to all male International Protection Applicants on 4 December, citing a severe shortage of accommodation.
Some of the new arrivals spoke to RTÉ's Morning Ireland outside the International Protection Office on Mount Street in Dublin, where applications are made by those seeking asylum.
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Naqeebullah has been sleeping under a bridge in the city centre since coming here from Afghanistan a week ago.
Another Afghan national, Farman is also sleeping under the bridge.
They were given a number for a charity who gave them sleeping bags, however neither of the two men were given tents.
Naqeebullah said: "I sleep on this street, this road. Help me, help me with accommodation, I am homeless. Very big problem, this cold."
He said that his father had been killed by the Taliban which Is why he fled and came to Ireland "by road".
Farman said it took him three years to come to Ireland by road.
He said he wants to work and is angry at being told there is no accommodation.
'We don't have money'
Omar arrived in Ireland a week ago from Algeria and said he has been sleeping in bus stations and also at a mosque.
He befriended some other recent arrivals from Africa and all say they were not given any tents after being told there were no beds available.
"We came here to this office to make asylum application. We do everything. They take all my fingerprint," he said.
"And after this we tell them 'Where do we go? We don’t have money. We need to go to some place to sleep, to eat, safe place'.
"But they tell us ‘no accommodation at this moment, we need to wait’.
"How long to wait? One week? Two weeks? One month? You cannot sleep outside at night, there are problems, the weather."
Omar, aged 26, came to Ireland by plane, while his friends arrived by boat.
Asked why he left Algeria, Omar said European people wrongly think Algeria is a "good country, a strong county".
"It is difficult to live in Algeria, no work, your life is just gone," he said.
'Maybe God will help'
The Government has announced that those who are told there is no available bed would be able to avail of an extra €75 on top of the weekly €38.80 allowance for International Protection applicants. This will increase the allowance from the current rate of €38.80 per week to €113.80 a week for all eligible applicants.
According to the latest figures from the Department of Integration, 185 eligible male asylum seekers presented to the office on Mount Street since 4 December. Of these, 19 were offered accommodation based on being assessed as being most vulnerable.
The other 166 were all given "contingency payment in lieu of accommodation" and 19 were subsequently offered accommodation, leaving 147 still waiting.
Omar and his friends said they had not yet been given any money and had just got a €100 Dunnes Stores gift card.
"They give us nothing, they just give us application gift card, €100 for Dunnes Stores. It is finished now," he said, adding it went on food.
"Now I have €80 only now. They didn’t give us any money. We waiting, maybe God help us, I hope that."
Jamal from Afghanistan was one of the fortunate ones who did get a bed at a Reception Centre when he arrived on 5 December, a day after the new accommodation policy came in.
He said: "This is a big place, a big building for the immigrants, this accommodation. They are most two to three people living in a room, so they are very good."
Asked why he left Afghanistan, he said: "When the Taliban take control of Afghanistan, most of the people leave for their safety, for their living standard, for their education and all the purpose of life.
"I came here because there are a lot of work and employment opportunities for the people."
Safety concerns
Mohammad from Syria lives in a tent within walking distance of the International Protection Office.
He arrived in Ireland nine months ago.
"When I come, they say we don’t have accommodation, we give only for family. I am young man, that is okay," he said.
"After four months, they give me accommodation, but this accommodation was one room with 50 people.
"I said ‘No, on the streets for me is more safe and more clean’ because I was there three days and in three days I had too much stress.
"You leave your jacket or your stuff, go to take shower, you come back and don’t find it."
Mohammad says he uses his weekly €38.80 to buy cigarettes, while homeless charities provide him with food.
After being here for six months, he was eligible to apply for a work permit and he now hopes it will soon be granted to him.
He said: "There are some places for homeless people and every day come soup runs. In Dublin it is best city, you will never be hungry."
