'Killarney has done enough': Councillor raises fears over refugee numbers in Kerry town
Asylum Of Figures The Excess Killarney’s Estimated Days At Who Russian 10,363 Put Living Seekers File Town In Alone Past Of The Hundreds The Six In Central Ukrainians Picture Arriving Population Number The Now Figures For 2,500, In Most Office Recent With Fled Are And The Invasion Statistics
Concerns have been raised about the number of Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Killarney, with the population growing by almost a quarter.
The most recent Central Statistics Office figures put Killarney’s population at 10,363. Estimated figures for the number of Ukrainians who fled the Russian invasion and asylum seekers now living in the town are in excess of 2,500, with hundreds arriving in the past six days alone.
Dr Gary Stack, managing director of SouthDoc, has warned that with 318 direct provision applicants arriving in Killarney in recent days, health services in the town can no longer cope.
Dr Stack said that earlier this year, when there were approximately 1,000 Ukrainians in Killarney, his practice had accepted 150 new patients. The practice is now at full capacity and staff are upset at having to turn people away on a daily basis.
Dr Stack, speaking on Radio Kerry, said the town had received no forewarning or consultation from state agencies about the new arrivals.
“Killarney is not the place to open up what appears to be a new reception centre. It does not have the facilities they have in CityWest,” Dr Stack said. “We have to stop at this stage.”
“If we keep loading numbers in, everything will collapse.”
Local town councillor Niall O’Callaghan said the town is struggling to cope with the rapid influx of people.
“Killarney has done enough." He added: We need our town back."
From a purely business point of view, the fact that so many tourist beds were not being occupied on a long-term basis meant the town’s tourist economy was being undermined," Mr O'Callaghan said.
“The Government has created this problem in Killarney and we need financial support,” Mr O’Callaghan said.