Asylum crisis: Government at loggerheads amid fears protests will escalate
Refugees 22 The Hotel The Obstructing House Roads Are Liam Protesting Magowna Inch, The Co In Hotel Locals By Arrival Picture: Burke/press To Clare, Of Where
As blockades remain in place at a Clare asylum centre for a third day, Government parties are now at loggerheads over how to deal with the mounting crisis in providing refugee accommodation.
Green Party and Fianna Fáil members clashed at Cabinet as ministers said they now fear that the number of protests will only escalate.
Justice Minister Simon Harris told Cabinet colleagues that gardaí should be consulted in accommodation plans for asylum seekers going forward.
Senior officials at all relevant departments across Government are to meet today on the accommodation issue.
The Clare barricade, erected on Monday night outside the Magowna House Hotel near Ennis, was set up to restrict — but not stop — cars and other vehicles coming in and out.
Initially housing 34 adult males in three holiday homes outside the main building, around 18 have since left and returned to Dublin.
There are still plans to accommodate a total of 62 adult male international protection applicants there.
There is considerable anger locally about the lack of consultation in advance of the men arriving.
While the management company handling the asylum seekers has said it knew three months ago, locals say they only found out a week ago.
The Department of Equality declined to say when it told local people or to comment on the widespread dissatisfaction among local communities about the lack of prompt and comprehensive information being shared with those living near places that suddenly open as asylum centres.
In Clare, local resident Agnes O’Malley said: "I am not against immigration, and I appreciate we all have to do our bit. But this is not a suitable location for a large number of single males many miles from the nearest shops, with limited transport and other services.
"There would have been no need for this blockade if they had just bothered to talk to us and shown us basic respect.”
Sultan Muhammad Nassiri from Afghanistan, who was moved to Clare from the CityWest accommodation in Dublin, said: "I like the accommodation here in Inch, but I am hoping the protest will be over in a few weeks and that the issues get dealt with.
The chairman of the Irish Muslim Council, Dr Umar Al-Qadri, condemned the Government's inability to communicate with local communities.
“The reality is the Government doesn't have a robust plan to deal with the influx of refugees, to deal with the housing crisis and they should," he told RTÉ.
“The Government should have known before they accepted 75,000 refugees when the country was already going through a very difficult situation.
“The housing crisis affected 10,000 people; many, many children without shelter and now we have very limited resources and unfortunately, refugees, many of them are sleeping in tents on streets.
Tensions came to a head at Cabinet when Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman told colleagues that he needs everyone to help him in securing more shelter.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin questioned Mr O'Gorman on what progress has been made in turning around properties offered to him for asylum seekers in the medium- to long-term.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said he had already recommended a lot of accommodation and a significant amount of work had been done by local authorities to secure more shelter.
Senior Government sources said there is frustration that properties being offered for use are not being worked on, and this is “prolonging the problem".