Situation regarding Roscrea asylum seekers dominates council meeting

The news that broke last Thursday evening about the arrival of 160 International Protection Applicants to Roscrea and less than 24 hours later the news was a topic of conversation at the Tipperary County Council meeting which took place in Clonmel on Friday last. 

Many councillors spoke on the matter at the meeting including Councillor Smith who said it was important that all agencies involved now work together. 

He proposed that they get in contact with the Department, and the Minister in Dublin, to get some clarity as well as more information. 

Councillor Smith spoke extensively on the matter as did Seamus Hanifan who reflected on his own experience in Thurles across the years: 

"Modulars houses were opened recently with 64 units and 64 families, which was 250 or more people into the town," Hanifan said whilst speaking about the situation in Thurles as well as linking it to the current situation in Roscrea. 

"One of the big concerns we have is about the lack of consultation that has taken place particularly compared to what happened (previously) with the Syrian refugees.

"To be fair to Sinead and her Department, Sean Lonergan had a meeting arranged with senior officials (back then) and I met with senior officials in the Thurles MD office and in fairness to Sean Lonergan he couldn't have put it more strongly that the most important thing we could do was make sure we had proper consultation. 

"In the absence of proper consultation what you end up with is suspicion, fears and incorrect information and all that adds to what is already a difficult situation," he said before continuing to point out the lack of transparency and consultation. 

"For an announcement to be made on a Thursday afternoon that there were 160 people coming to Roscrea on Friday wasn't good enough. That level of consultation let's everybody down," he said. 

Councillor Noel Coonan also shared his concerns and agreed with other speakers on the matter. He said it has affected the people living in the town of Roscrea:

"The effect it is having on the town on the decent God fearing people in the area who have - as has been stated already - accepted with open arms the families from the International Protection Applicants and from the Ukrainian region."

Cllr Coonan said over 800 people had already settled into the area and the reality is that the only hotel in the area is going to change completely. 

"It says 160 beds and I know Racket Hall fairly well, so I'm amazed it can accomodate 160 beds. We are told there are forty beds there and they vary in size.

"I can tell you an experience I've had with Ukrainians who were living in those circumstances and pleaded for help. Four men living in a room together - it affects you mentally. They were crying for help to get accomodation somewhere else." 

He went on to inform the meeting of a phone call he received that very morning: "I received a phone call from a solicitor firm in Dublin pleading for help for a refugee from Egypt who was living in accommodation in Roscrea town. They subsequently sent pictures of the room in an absolutely deplorable state with electrical wires hanging off it. He was pleading for help for months to 'get help' carried out in the room, and we talk about inspections!"

He said the situation is dire nationwide and spoke about refugees living conditions: "When you think of these people who have to live - some of them on the side of the road - some of them in tents and some, as indicated by that house in Roscrea, with no inspections. The whole situation is crazy. 

"I would like to know from the Council, from the Chief Executive or the Director of Services, the actual role of the Council and the actual contact that can be made if it is a person. 

"All we have is an email which is community.department@ government.ie, that is all you get. 

"There is no one to allay any fears, there is no one to contact if anybody is ill or sick. I think it is absolutely appalling how this is being handled. The people deserve better. 

"When you hold meetings and you hold protests people lose the run of themselves. Some people get excited and very upset and there is a reason for that upset. There are reasons for concern while at the same time there are so many people that are willing to accept and willing to help if they get the proper direction and care. 

"We must listen to the voice of the people and those in authority are not doing that at the moment in relation to this. 

"There are tragedies waiting to happen and we have examples of this in other areas and we don't want this to happen in Roscrea."

Councillor Coonan seconded Cllr Smith's proposal to bring the Minister to Tipperary and said it was time "we get action on this to come down and brief the people so that the concerns are dealt with. I think this is urgent," he said. 

Overall Councillors were in agreement on the matter and in response the Chief Executive Joe McGrath said that communities in Tipperary have coped admirably: "I would describe the communities as being exemplary in the manner of which they have welcomed refugees to our county and dealt with the situation locally. 

"Roscrea has been exemplary in that respect. I want to acknowledge the very responsible tone of the conversation here led by yourself Councillor Smith in fairness and I know it is a very difficult situation when we don't get much notification of refugees coming to our county. 

"I would have been notified at the same time as yourselves," he said before saying that he wouldn't normally contact owners of property but in this case said that he would "if it would be helpful I would certainly do that."

Chief Executive Joe McGrath continued by saying that: "in terms of the support of the broader agencies that is done through the integration teams, and teams within housing and community but also at a higher level there is a Community forum which I chair which the Caithorlaich attends."

He said that it consists of the agencies across the county from education to health and Gardai. He concluded by saying that while it was due to take place in a few weeks he would bring that meeting forward now.