Ireland's Direct Provision System: Donnah Vuma, Bulelani Mfaco and Evgeny Shtorn

First established in the year 2000 to house asylum seekers entering the Irish state in search of international protection, Direct Provision was intended as an interim accommodation system for a six-month period. That was not how it worked out. The average length of stay in Direct Provision was 23 months at the end of 2017, with some staying for as long as five years in conditions which have been criticised by human rights organisations. In this episode, we’ll hear from Donna Vuma, Bulelani Mfaco and Evgeny Shtorn in conversation about their experiences in Ireland’s Direct Provision system.    This First Thought Talk was recorded at Galway International Arts Festival in July 2019 in front of a live audience. Anne Mulhall, activist in the Movement for Asylum Seekers in Ireland, moderates the discussion.