The state has paid out € 1.2 Billion of public money on accommodation for asylum seekers since the year 2000 .
The system of accommodation known as the Direct Provision system began in the year 2000 with 1 centre at the former holiday resort known as Mosney in Co Meath , and has since grown to 39 centres spread accross 19 Counties in Ireland.
At the end of June there were 7,018 asylum seekers being accommodated around Ireland , 6,082 of those in direct provision centres and 936 in emergency accommodation . A total of 76,547 asylum applications have been processed in Ireland between 20 Nov 2000 and 31 Dec 2016 .
The annual Bill for Direct Provision has grown from € 50 million in 2017 to € 120 million this year with the number of asylum applications up 40% on last year .
The biggest earner in the Industry was Mosney Holiday plc which owns the Mosney Centre in Co Meath . It received € 8.6 million from the state in 2018 and € 136 million since 2002 . It is run by husband and wife Phelim and Elizabeth McCloskey who in the past have made financial donations to the Fianna Fail party . The Centre was purchased from Butlins in 1982 and operated as a popular holiday resort for Irish Families up to the summer of 2000 when it was contracted to the Department of Justice as as a Direct Provision Centre.
The Barlow Group which is directed and part owned by Cork-based businessman Alan Hyde received € 7.5 million in public money from the state last year for providing asylum accommodation in Cork and Waterford . In total , it has received almost €100 million from the state since it start running Direct Provision centres from seven of its properties , mostly hotels .
Millstreet Equestrian Services owned by the Duggan Family which provides accomodation for more than 500 asylum seekers in Cork and Waterford received €6.53 million from the state last year and €82.5 million since the year 2000.
Aramark , which operates 3 state owned centres in Knockalisheen , Co Clare , Kinsale , Co Cork and Athlone , Co Westmeath accommodating a total of 825 asylum seekers received €6 million from the state last year .
Bridgestock Ltd which provides accommodation for 500 asylum seekers at Ballyhaunis , Co Mayo and Sligo Town received €97 million from the state since the year 2000. It is owned by Tullamore Businessman Seamus Gillen and Galway property owner Eoghan McGinty.
The Ballaghaderreen centre in Co Roscommon which accommodates 132 asylum seekers and is run by Next Week & Co , owners of the Abbeyfield Hotel received €3.16 million from the state in 2018.
Fazyard Ltd which operates Dublin's largest Direct Provision Centre in Clondalkiin , the Towers Hotel , received €5.5 million last year and €33 million of public funds over the past 12 years . Fazyard Ltd is owned by Sean Lyons and his son, Sean Lyons Jnr .
Mosney , Millstreet and Bridgestock Ltd have all adopted offshore ownership structures which means they don't have to disclose their accounts in Ireland making it impossible to tell how much profits the companies are making . Since 2011 , Mosney is owned by Isle of Man based firm Sonning unlimited . Millstreet is owned by Isle of Man based firm Arabella unlimited and Tolosa ltd while Bridgestock Ltd is held by an offshore firm in the British Virgin Islands .
The Top 5 Nationalities claiming asylum in Ireland in 2019 are Albania , Georgia , Zimbabwe , Nigeria and South Africa.
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