Vast quantities of money continue to be wasted by the State on the asylum process, the local support group for migrants, Doras Luimni, has said.

The charity which provides services to thousands of migrants in Limerick and east Clare believes a major awareness campaign needs to be initiated to highlight the fact that asylum seekers and refugees receive just €19.10 per week from the State.

While accommodation and food is provided for those migrants, Doras Luimni have argued that more needs to be done by the Government to improve the quality of life of asylum seekers and refugees living there.

"People think refugees or asylum seekers get everything for free - they get cars, they get buggies. What people actually get per week is €19.10, and €9.60 per child," said Karen McHugh, chief executive of Doras Luimni.

It was recently announced by a Government Minister that in the region of €250m has been spent on the asylum process, but according to Doras Luimni those funds are not benefiting that individual asylum seeker or refugee.

"The asylum system is far too costly and there is no benefit to the people within the system," added Siobhan O'Connor, advocacy and campaigns officer with Doras Luimni.

"They're being housed in inadequate accommodation and fed unsuitable food and treated incredibly badly in some places. Every hostel you're placed in determines how you're treated and how you live day to day. Each asylum seeker experiences the asylum process in a different way.

"And so for the Government to justify it by saying we're spending this much money...the asylum seeker doesn't benefit, it is private industry that benefits. It's a good industry to be in a moment, it is a profitable industry.

"No one in the asylum process is making a loss, except for the asylum seeker, who are losing their dignity and their respect for themselves," said Ms O'Connor.

Ms Hugh added that she feels the Government are "wasting money because they're wasting time" in relation to the length of time a person's status is classed as a refugee or asylum seeker.

Doras Luimni were speaking to highlight the challenges they face in 2010, which marks their 10 year anniversary.

The charity are appealing for volunteers and funding, and would also like to invite the public to send in their suggestions on how contemporary Limerick can be celebrated this year.

Doras Luimni, which has 14 staff and over 30 volunteers, are funded by Atlantic Philanthropies, The One Foundation, Pobal, the Sisters of Mercy, the European Refugee Fund, and other private donors.