Woman who caught Covid-19 in Cahersiveen direct provision centre calls for reform of system

Chawa Ndlovu was one of 20 residents at the former Skellig Star Hotel in Cahersiveen to contract the virus.

Ms Ndlovu, originally from Zimbabwe, has since been moved to different centres in Kerry, Cork and Dublin.

Lack of privacy

She has called for the direct provision system to be reformed urgently. Ms Ndlovu said: "The uncertainty of not knowing what is going to happen with the process leads to anxiety. You have to wait and wait, there is a lot of waiting. The issue of the lack of privacy, you need your own space."

People are starting to be moved out of the Cahersiveen centre after controversy over the poor conditions in the former hotel.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has confirmed that families will be moved out of Cahersiveen as soon as places are found in different direct provision centres.

The conditions at the Cahersiveen direct provision centre have been the subject of much controversy.

Ms McEntee said Minister for Integration, Deputy Roderic O’Gorman, will be tasked to follow through on this commitment. The Department of Justice said the first families have already been transferred out of the centre, with more to follow in the coming weeks.