A family living in Ipas accommodation, who were transferred from Wicklow to Mayo, said the move has uprooted their daughter from medical supports needed for hearing and vision problems.

Medical letters have been issued in support of the family, appealing for them to at least be accommodated in the Leinster area.

The family, who wish to remain anonymous, came to Ireland in November 2022 and applied for international protection, which they were granted two years later.

During their daughter’s first year at school in Ireland, hearing and vision issues were found, and she was treated with prescription glasses and hearing aids.

At first, she hid them in her pocket as she was “shy” to wear them, but her teachers helped her feel more confident with them.

The father also said his daughter was starting to feel comfortable at school this year near where they lived. The school had a support plan in place for their daughter’s return to school.

However, earlier this year, the family received a letter from Ipas to say they would have to move from their accommodation.

They searched for homes in the surrounding area that they could apply to with the Housing Assistance Payment scheme, a form of social housing support provided by local authorities.

They received a second letter in June which notified them that they would be moved to Co Mayo.

They emailed Ipas to make it aware of their daughter’s condition and asked for more time to find alternative accommodation.

The family wanted “to fully stand on our own two feet” and searched for accommodation in a wider area.

In July, they had to move from Wicklow to a hotel in Mayo as they could not find alternative accommodation.

The family of five is housed in a room of 23 sq m and shares a communal bathroom with other families.

The father described it as “claustrophobic” and said they were “shocked” by the hotel.

He said all their integration was broken and they had to “start again”.

His youngest son frequently asks if it is morning or evening, as no natural light can enter the room.

He has told his children they are there for summer camp. However, his eldest son understands that is not the case.

He said the family was “just one step away from achieving complete financial independence and exiting State support entirely”.

When they were moved “four hours away from our medical care and career opportunities”, he said it “completely knocked the feet from under us, pushing us back to square zero”.

The family have requested a transfer.

Their daughter’s consultant at a Dublin-based hospital also wrote a letter to Ipas as part of their medical transfer request. The parents said the consultant said it was important for their daughter to stay in the Dublin or Leinster area and remain at the same school.

The father said he would move into the “same boxes” they are currently living in if it were nearer to their children’s school.

The Department of Justice said it cannot comment on individual cases.

It said there are more than 32,000 people living in Ipas accommodation, including more than 9,000 children, but noted that accommodation is, by its nature, “temporary”.

The department acknowledged that relocating can be “very disruptive”.

“Where it is necessary for Ipas to transfer people from their accommodation for operational or other reasons, every effort is made to enable people with particular special reception needs or vulnerabilities to remain in the local area to maintain their links with medical care, special education, or other services they are receiving.

“If this is not possible, Ipas works with the National Social Inclusion Office in HSE and Tusla Education Support Service colleagues to assist with transfer of medical services or education in the new area.”

It also said: “It is important to note that the majority of special reception needs, medical needs and vulnerabilities can be addressed in all Ipas accommodation and in most locations nationally.”