Nasc (NGO)

Last updated
Nasc
Founded2000
TypeHumanitarian NGO
Location
Fields Refugees, activism, NGO
Key people
Fiona Finn (CEO)
Website nascireland.org

Nasc is an Irish independent, non-governmental migrant rights centre in Ireland, based in Cork.

Contents

History

Nasc was founded in 2000 in Cork by Sisters of Mercy, the Society of African Missions and a group of activists, in response to the creation of the direct provision system. They aimed to provide information and advice to migrants in Ireland. Initially based in Bishop's Street, the organisation moved to Enterprise House on Mary Street, Cork in 2005. From 2007, the group has given legal advice with funding from Atlantic Philanthropies and the One Foundation. They are now located in 34 Paul Street. [1] [2]

Activities

In 2015 Nasc produced a map of incidents of racism and hate crimes in Ireland. [3] They have provided legal support to the Roma community in Ireland. [4]

Nasc have been involved in integration programmes for migrants, such as those from Syria in County Cork. [5] In collaboration with other groups, they have held a legal information evening to deal with the uncertainties around Brexit, [6] while highlighting the continuing issues around the lack of information around Brexit for migrants. [7]

They called on the Irish government to take in more refugees in response to the European migrant crisis. [8] In 2016, they launched the Safe Passage campaign to reunite refugees with family members in Ireland. [9]

They have criticised the Irish government for housing migrants and asylum seekers in hotels and B&Bs as emergency accommodation long term due to the lack of space in existing direct provision centres and the problems with establishing new ones. [10] Nasc have called the arson attacks on hotels earmarked for emergency accommodation hate crimes. [11] They have also criticised the Irish government's use of prisons for migrant detentions. [12]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nasc alongside Doras, the Sanctuary Runners, Irish Refugee Council, Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, and the Immigrant Council of Ireland, called for all vulnerable and at-risk migrants be removed from direct provision centres. [13] Nasc has also spoken out about the poor facilities and living conditions within direct provision centres. [14] In particular, drawing attention to the inability of those living in the centres to adhere to social distancing and self isolation during the pandemic, [15] [16] and that these residents should be prioritised for testing. [17] They have also highlighted that those working in low paid jobs face similar issues. [18] Nasc worked with Together Ireland to produce videos in over 30 languages providing information about the pandemic. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of the Republic of Ireland</span>

The Republic of Ireland had a population of 5,149,139 at the 2022 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Migrant Help</span> Charitable organization

Migrant Help is a United Kingdom-based national charity that has been supporting migrants since 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millstreet</span> Town in County Cork, Ireland

Millstreet is a town in north County Cork, Ireland. As of the 2022 census, it had a population of 1,722.

University Hall, also known as Hatch Hall, is a building on Hatch Street, Dublin 2, Ireland which has housed a Jesuit university hall accommodation, a direct provision accommodation centre for asylum seekers and refugees and in 2020 a plan was lodged for its conversion to a 60-bedroom 5-star hotel.

LÉ <i>Eithne</i> Patrol vessel in the Irish Naval Service

LÉ Eithne (P31) was a patrol vessel in service with the Irish Naval Service. The ship is named after Eithne, a tragic heroine and the daughter of the one-eyed Fomorian King, Balor in an early Irish romantic tale. Eithne was the flagship of the Irish Naval Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butlin's Mosney</span>

Mosney Accommodation Centre is located in Mosney, County Meath, Ireland and is situated approximately 48 km (30 mi) from Dublin. It is probably best known as the site of a Butlin's holiday camp in the second half of the 20th century and as the site for the national finals of the Community Games. By the early 21st-century, this had been converted into an accommodation centre for asylum-seekers. The centre was served by Mosney railway station, which closed down in 2000. Currently, it ranks as the biggest earning direct provision Centre in Ireland.

Pollagh is a village on Achill Island off the coast of County Mayo. It is surrounded by the villages of Keel, County Mayo and Dooagh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Direct provision</span> Irish asylum seeker accommodation system

Direct provision is a system of asylum seeker accommodation used in the Republic of Ireland. The system has been criticised by human rights organisations as illegal, inhuman and degrading. The system, operated by the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, provides international protection applicants with accommodation and a small allowance. International protection applicants in direct provision are usually entitled to state-funded medical care, and children have full mainstream access to the education system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 European migrant crisis</span> 2010s migrant crisis in the European Union

During 2015, there was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and migrants into Europe. 1.3 million people came to the continent to request asylum, the most in a single year since World War II. They were mostly Syrians, but also included significant numbers from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq, Eritrea, and the Balkans. The increase in asylum seekers has been attributed to factors such as the escalation of various wars in the Middle East and ISIL's territorial and military dominance in the region, as well as Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt ceasing to accept Syrian asylum seekers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verona Murphy</span> Irish independent politician (b. 1971)

Verona Murphy is an Irish Independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency since the 2020 general election. Murphy is President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Pride Ireland</span> Gay pride advocacy group

Black Pride Ireland is a Black gay pride advocacy group in Ireland founded in 2019 advocating for the rights of black LGBTQIA+ people on the island of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland</span> National advocacy group in Ireland

The Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) is an Irish advocacy group for those seeking international protection in Ireland, with the goals of ending direct provision and deportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Refugee Council</span>

The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental organisation that protects the rights of people affected by displacement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigrant Council of Ireland</span>

The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) is a non-governmental organisation and independent law centre based in Ireland which advises migrants on their rights while advocating for increased migrant protections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spirasi</span>

Spirasi is the Irish national independent centre for the rehabilitation of victims of torture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doras (NGO)</span>

Doras is an Irish independent, non-governmental organisation advocating for the rights of migrants in Ireland based in Limerick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulelani Mfaco</span> A South African Human Rights Activist based In Ireland

Bulelani Mfaco is a South African former asylum seeker and activist in Ireland, and spokesperson for the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland.

Ellie Kisyombe is a Malawian activist and asylum seeker living in Ireland. She is the co-founder of Our Table, a non-profit social enterprise that operates projects such as pop-up restaurants.

Lucky Khambule is a South African former asylum seeker and activist in Ireland, and co-founder of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland.

Protests at several locations in Ireland started in early November 2022 after the development of sites in various parts of the country as temporary refugee shelters by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), as it attempted to accommodate the influx of 65,000 refugees during 2022. Protests have been held in East Wall, Ballymun, Drimnagh, and elsewhere in Dublin; Fermoy and Mallow in County Cork; Kill, County Kildare; Lismore, County Waterford; Mullingar in County Westmeath; and Inch in County Clare.

References

  1. ↑ "Our history". nascireland.org. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  2. ↑ Finn, Fiona (10 May 2019). "NASC will play an integral part of a city rising". Echo Live. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  3. ↑ Ryan, Órla (12 December 2015). "A new 'hate map' will document racist incidents in Ireland". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  4. ↑ DeWan, Jennifer (7 April 2017). "'Naturalisation and recognition of Irish citizenship will improve Roma rights'". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  5. ↑ Kenny, Áine (3 February 2020). "'They treat us like family': Cork communities sponsoring refugees to settle in their town". Echo Live. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "Nasc to host migrant community event in Cork". Irish Legal News. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  7. ↑ Butterly, Luke; Bloomer, Natalie; Jeraj, Samir (18 September 2019). "Brexit: Non-EU family of UK citizens in Ireland get 'worrying' letters". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  8. ↑ O'Keeffe, Cormac (13 September 2019). "Ireland should more than double intake of refugees to meet 'fair share', migrant group says". www.irishexaminer.com. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  9. ↑ Hurley, Fiona (30 December 2016). "Refugees seeking family reunification face a new obstacle". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  10. ↑ Thomas, Cónal (14 January 2020). "'They operate in a vacuum': Migrant rights group hits out at lack of inspections for hotels housing asylum seekers". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  11. ↑ Ryan, Órla (11 January 2019). "'This should be treated as a hate crime': Concern expressed after fire at hotel earmarked as Direct Provision centre". TheJournal.ie . Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  12. ↑ O'Keeffe, Cormac (12 June 2019). "Dedicated immigration facility due to open at Dublin Airport". www.irishexaminer.com. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  13. ↑ Burke, Roisin (25 March 2020). "'Move the vulnerable out': Growing calls for asylum seekers to be removed from Direct Provision centres". Echo Live. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  14. ↑ Thomas, Cónal (19 June 2020). "Department asks Direct Provision centre owners to prove living conditions allegations are 'clearly false'". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  15. ↑ Malekmian, Shamim (29 May 2020). "Could This Be The End Of Direct Provision In Ireland?". Hotpress. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  16. ↑ Ó Liatháin, Concubhar (28 March 2020). "Vulnerable asylum seekers need to be moved out - NASC". The Corkman. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  17. ↑ Thomas, Cónal (20 May 2020). "HSE letter outlines Direct Provision strategy but warns accommodation may be 'insufficient or unsuitable' for self-isolation". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  18. ↑ Hennessy, Michelle (19 May 2020). "Living conditions of migrant workers at meat plants 'should be considered before criticism'". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  19. ↑ "New Covid-19 advice initiative for migrant communities". RTÉ News. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  20. ↑ Pollak, Sorcha (19 May 2020). "Multilingual videos to better inform Ireland's migrants on Covid-19". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.