"Can I go to school here?" asked Mario, a personable young Romanian asylum-seeker, as he sat with eight tired fellow countrymen in the lounge of Bolton House Hostel in Waterford yesterday, awaiting what fate this new country held in store for them.
Nine of the 11 Romanians held in Waterford Garda station were released from custody yesterday afternoon pending a decision by the Department of Justice on their asylum applications. The two others remained under arrest and were to be deported back to France last night.
The newly-released men were polite, but attentive and suspicious of questions. Only Mario admitted to speaking a little English. He said he had paid a Russian man in Cherbourg 100 deutsch marks (about £40) to get a place in the Intel trailer in which they hid to travel to Ireland. They had spent one day in the trailer, with no food and only a little water.
Mario said he had left his pregnant wife and daughter in his home country. Conditions there were "very bad". The men claimed, variously, to be mechanics, drivers or building workers. The average earnings in Romania for work such as this was the equivalent of $13 or $14 a month.
All wanted to learn English. They were anxious to work, but believed they could not do so without a grasp of the language.
The hostel administrator, the Rev John Rochford, read out to them the terms of the Dublin Convention, in particular the stipulation that, if the Irish authorities intended to put questions to the Romanian authorities about them, the asylum-seekers had to be given written notice of this and if necessary provided with a translator to explain the terms of the letter.
Later, Mr Rochford will help them fill in applications for State assistance on the basis that they are homeless and without means.
They will be entitled to £65.40 weekly and will be able to apply for a medical card and for registration with Waterford Corporation for housing. In the meantime, the South-Eastern Health Board will meet the cost of their accommodation and meals.
The 24-bed hostel has signs prominently displayed saying "Strictly no alcohol allowed in the hostel". Previous groups of Romanian asylum-seekers have given no trouble, but the second last group absconded shortly after substantial welfare payments came through.
The 11 other Romanians who were detained by gardai in Wexford after being found in a trailer were released from custody on Monday night. A community care officer of the health board placed them in bed-and-breakfast accommodation. They have also asked for political asylum.