Our work to help individuals, couples and families trapped in Direct Provision began in March 2017. In the beginning, our work was delivered in partnership with our colleagues at the Jesuit Refugee Service.

An initial pilot programme saw Peter McVerry Trust use our expertise to find and house people to engage with people in Clondalkin Towers and Knockalisheen, Limerick. The pilot was highly successful in resettling (housing) over 140 people. As a result of the success of our work a national scheme was implemented in 2019 by and funded through the Department of Justice.

Since April 2019 Peter McVerry Trust’s Resettlement Service provides housing progression support across 31 accommodation centres across much of the southern half of Ireland. The following counties in the Southern Region under the Department of Justice programme; Clare, Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Wicklow and Westmeath. There are currently around 700 people staying in accommodation centres in these counties.

Peter McVerry Trust resettlement team members hold weekly clinics in accommodation centres, with a staff team of eight currently working on the project. Peter McVerry Trust works with people in Direct Provision to support them to source, and settle into, their own homes. The people supported are a mixture of single adults, couples and families. Currently the main focus is on family households with children.

As of August 2019 Peter McVerry Trust supports these households primarily to source private rental accommodation via the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme. Our team remove the blocks such as the deposits required, source suitable properties, provide support to viewings, completion of social housing application forms and assistance to the relevant Local Authorities.