Asylum seekers pitch tents along Dublin's Grand Canal

James Cox

More than 40 asylum seeker tents have been pitched along the Grand Canal in Dublin.

The new encampment is situated close to the International Protection Office on Mount Street, where a large number of tents were removed last Wednesday.

At the time, barriers were erected along Mount Street to prevent more tents being set up - and international protection applicants were warned they could face fines if they returned.

The majority of asylum seekers were offered alternative accommodation in CityWest or Crooksling, however, a number of people returned to Dublin city centre without anywhere to stay.

Migration has become a big issue in recent months, and it is at the centre of the ongoing diplomatic spat between Dublin and London.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee recently claimed up to 80 per cent of asylum seekers were crossing the border from Northern Ireland, which UK prime minister Rishi Sunak claimed was a sign that his Rwanda scheme is working.

While  Ms McEntee "stands over" the figure, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has said it wasn't "statistical".

In line with trends across Europe, the number of people arriving in the State to claim asylum has soared in recent years to reach record levels.

There was a 415 per cent increase in the number of applications in 2022 compared to 2021, and a 186 per cent increase from 2019.

In 2022, there were 13,651 applications for international protection, while 2023 saw 13,277 applications.