An exploratory study of community activism for change in ‘direct provision’ food facilities for asylum seekers in Ireland

Asylum seekers in Ireland are given housing and food by the state in a system known as direct provision (DP). The system has been criticised because residents lack autonomy and choice over what and when they eat and the nature of the food provided and the effect this has on the health of this vulnerable group. Inadequate political responses to these criticisms have led to the emergence of Our Table, a community-led project that tries to counteract the negative outcomes of DP that arise when people are denied the right to cook for themselves. Given the unique nature of the Irish DP system, there is neither an Irish nor an international study to date on community-led responses to food provisioning for asylum seekers.

We will undertake a short-term exploratory study examining Our Table. We will use community-based participatory research to develop theories and determine whether a wider study of community activism regarding DP food provision is needed.