The Department of Justice has confirmed an asylum seeker has died in a Monaghan hotel.
The man, who's believed to be from Afghanistan, was found dead in the M Hotel in Magheracloone on Wednesday.
In a statement to Northern Sound News, the Department expresses its "sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased person".
The man, who was seeking asylum in Ireland, was being housed in the M Hotel, formerly known as Tracey's Hotel.
The Department says the hotel has been contracted as an Emergency Accommodation Centre and it has been in touch with the HSE to request "all necessary supports are made available to the staff and residents at the centre".
A Spokesperson says the Department does not comment on individual cases but the deceased person's next of kin will be assisted in accessing support services.
Below is a copy of the full statement from the Department of Justice:
The Department expresses sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased person in this tragic incident. We would appeal for their privacy to be respected as they grieve the loss of their loved one.
A critical incident policy is in place to provide guidelines for Department staff and accommodation centre managers and staff in the event of the death of a resident.
The Department is unable to comment on the specific details pertaining to individual cases. However, we can say that where a person sadly dies while they are being provided with accommodation by the Department’s International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), we work closely with the centre manager to assist the person’s next of kin, if known, in accessing the supports provided by the State, and to ensure that any residents affected by the death are assisted in accessing services that can support them. All deaths and serious incidents that occur within accommodation centres provided by the Department are referred to the Gardaí as a matter of course and the Gardaí in turn refer all deaths to the local Coroner’s office.
Treacy’s Hotel is currently contracted by the Department as an Emergency Accommodation Centre. The Department has contacted the HSE to request that all necessary supports are made available to the staff and residents at the centre at this difficult time.
