A Minister should be appointed specifically to deal with asylum seeker accommodation as tents grow in Dublin city, a Councillor has said.

Efforts are underway to find alternative accommodation for dozens of asylum seekers who have pitched tents in Dublin city.

Around 80 tents are along the Grand Canal in the capital.

It comes as the number of asylum seekers who arrived in Ireland in the first four months of the year has increased by 95% when compared to the same period last year.

Labour Councillor Dermot Lacey told Lunchtime Live the State has the capacity to house more people.

"It's not a solution for the people who are living in those awful conditions and it's not a solution for people who are living in the general area," he said.

"The solution is that the State starts to use the properties that the State currently owns to house people.

"Another thing that needs to be done is that IPAS needs to develop a more outreach service; so they will go out to the places that people are living in order to process these applications."

________________________________________________________________________________________________

📱 Have you downloaded the Newstalk app?

- Find the app in the Google Play store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...

- Find the app via Apple: https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/newstal...

#️⃣ SUBSCRIBE to the Newstalk social channels:
- YOUTUBE |    / @newstalkfm  
- TWITTER | twitter.com/newstalkfm
- INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/newstalkfm/
- FACEBOOK | facebook.com/newstalkfm
- WEBSITE | https://www.newstalk.com/

🎧 PODCAST - listen at your leisure: newstalk.com/podcasts
- iTunes: search for Newstalk in your app!
- Spotify: search for Newstalk for our latest pods and news
- Or wherever you get your podcasts!

📱GET IN TOUCH WITH NEWSTALK
- WhatsApp: get in touch on 0871400106