Spirasi

Spirasi (Spiritan Asylum Services Initiative) is the Irish national independent centre for the rehabilitation of victims of torture.

Spirasi
Founded1999
Location
  • 213 North Circular Road, Dublin
FieldsRefugees, Asylum Seekers, Victims of Torture
Websitespirasi.ie

History

Spirasi, the Spiritan Asylum Services Initiative, was founded in 1999 as an English language centre by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. From 2001, the organisation began to provide victims of torture in Ireland with legal, medical, psychological, and psychosocial support.[1] The first director of the torture-survivors' programme was Father Michael Begley.[2]

The group's central goals are:

  • Supporting victims of torture to begin their lives in Ireland
  • Create models of care, develop training programmes, and foster partnerships that benefit refugees and asylum seekers who are victims of torture
  • Utilising a holistic approach to rehabilitation with integrity, compassion, respect and solidarity[3]

Spirasi was one of the organisations which attempted to aid Ms Y as she sought an abortion in Ireland in 2013.[4] Spirasi celebrated its 20-year anniversary with a reception at the President of Ireland's residence, Áras an Uachtaráin on 26 March 2019.[5][6]

Core activities

Spirasi utilise a multidisciplinary approach for initial assessments of victims of torture or cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment which incorporates medical, therapeutic and psychosocial elements.

They provide:

  • Therapeutic interventions for victims of torture and their families
  • Medical Legal Reports (MLRs)
  • English language classes for victims of torture and their families[3]

Alongside 8 other organisations, including Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, Spirasi called on the Irish government to speed up the processing of vulnerable asylum seekers to get them out of Direct Provision centres as quickly as possible.[7] Spirasi are one of the organisations included in the Asylum Archive, a project which documents the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland including Direct Provision.[8][9]

References
  1. Cunningham, Brian (27 December 2017). "An interview with Spirasi, a centre for the care and survivors of torture". STAND. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  2. Haughey, Nuala (31 July 2001). "Making a safe haven in Dublin". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  3. "About". Spirasi. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  4. Sheehan, Maeve (13 September 2014). "HSE doctors and lawyers 'clashed' over Ms Y case". Irish Independent. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  5. "President And Sabina Host A Reception To Mark The 20th Anniversary Of Spirasi". president.ie. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. Mac Donald, Sarah (27 March 2019). "President pays tribute to SPIRASI's work with torture victims". Catholicireland.net. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  7. Thomas, Cónal (26 May 2019). "'Deeply concerned': Calls for vulnerability assessments for asylum seekers". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  8. "Spirasi". Asylum Archive. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  9. Antosik-Parsons, Kate (9 September 2019). "Asylum Archive". Irish Studies Review. 27 (4): 594–596. doi:10.1080/09670882.2019.1664019.
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