More than 2,500 asylum-seekers from some 70 countries currently live in the South Eastern Health Board region, an increase of almost 33 per cent since 2001.
Almost 50 per cent of these people live in Co Waterford, with significant numbers in counties Wexford and Carlow, according to the board's annual report for 2002.
A total of 2,620 asylum-seekers, including around 800 children, were living last October in the board's area, which covers counties Carlow, Kilkenny, south Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.
This is an increase of 30 per cent on 2001 when there were 2,133 asylum-seekers in the board area. It is an 186 per cent increase since late 2000 when there were 915 asylum-seekers in the area.
While there were 10 "direct provision" accommodation centres in the region and one step-down facility in Waterford, around five in every six asylum-seekers live in the private rented sector. The report says many asylum-seekers came from countries with a "high prevalence of infectious diseases, hence the importance of health screening and laboratory services".
Maternity hospitals in this region have indicated that 330 babies were born to asylum- seekers in 2001, and 324 up to the end of November, 2002, according to the report.
This puts significant additional demands on maternity units and public health nurses providing child health services, it states. It also notes concerns about social work services for unaccompanied minors.
There are seven community welfare officers dealing full-time with asylum-seekers. They handled 1,180 claims in 2002, with expenditure on supplementary welfare allowances up to October 31st at €8.77 million.
Although health screening of asylum-seekers is not mandatory, the take-up rate is about 70 per cent.