6,190 asylum seekers in Ireland are receiving an allowance of less than €39 a week.
Every adult in direct-provision accommodation gets €38.80 a week, while €29.80 is paid for each child.
According to the Department of Social Protection, 4,380 adults and 1,810 children are receiving these allowances.
Lucky Khambule, from the Movement of Asylum-Seekers in Ireland (MASI), says the rates are far too low.
"It is far below the poverty line," said Mr Khambule.
"Nobody in this land can live €38 pay per week".
Yesterday, MSAI released a report following a 90-day tour of Direct Provision Centres across Ireland.
The found that people were living in appalling conditions.
MSAI visited a number of sites and said it found a lack of appropriate accommodation and food.
During a visit to the Maldron Hotel in Limerick, MASI worker Donnah Vuma said she met a mother with a 20-day-old infant who had no nappies or baby formula.
Both asylum-seeking parents are not allowed to work, and thus cannot provide for their newborn.
MASI said it engaged with NGOs such as Doras Luimni and Every Child Is Your Child to mobilise donations for the parents, who are living in the hotel with no support.
- additional reporting by Press Association
Lucky Khambule
