Approach to identifying asylum seeker accommodation labelled 'absolute chaos' after Cork protest

“It shows a total disconnect between Government and Government departments, and the local authority on the ground. They have made it almost impossible now for local public representatives who are trying to find solutions, and to keep constituents informed,” he said.

Rumours emerged on social media last week that the former retreat, which is in private ownership since 2022, was being refurbished to accommodate asylum seekers — international protection applicants (IPAs).

Videos posted on TikTok by a user under the hashtag IrelandIsFull made several unsubstantiated claims about this property, suggesting women and children would no longer be safe, and posted false claims about an under-construction social housing development nearby, which is actually being delivered by Cork City Council and Respond. 

Details of GoFundMe and Revolut links were shared, with appeals for donations to help buy tents, and it was decided to protest outside the property at 7pm on Monday.

As rumours swirled, local city councillors sought updates from City Hall.

In response to media queries last week, the council said it had been in contact with the property owners, who had said there was “no intention of accommodating persons seeking international protection”.

It made no reference to Ukrainians fleeing the war, who are officially categorised as beneficiaries of the Temporary Protection Directive.

Armed with this response, Labour councillor John Maher and Fine Gael councillor Joe Kavanagh publicly denied the online rumours about “unvetted males” being housed at the property.

I've had a number of calls today in relation to Ennismore in Montenotte.

I wish to clarify, with 100% certainty, that there are currently NO plans in place to accommodate Anyone at all in the old Dominicans Building in Ennismore.

Rumours currently circulating are 100% FALSE. pic.twitter.com/WiIyDGNto8

— Cllr. Joe Kavanagh (@Joekavanaghcork) January 15, 2024

Mr Kavanagh posted online: “There are currently no plans in place to accommodate anyone at all in the old Dominicans building in Ennismore. Rumours currently circulating are 100% false", while Mr Maher said “the false news is incorrect and unhelpful”.

Did their denials go too far? Perhaps they were trying to ease local concerns or Roscrea and recent arson attacks were on their minds.

But it could be argued the council, and the building’s owners, should have been more forthcoming, especially now we know the department was "at an advanced stage" of talks with the building owners about using the site for Ukrainians.

The council has since insisted that it provided factual information. 

But by Monday afternoon, everything changed, with official confirmation from the Department of Integration the property had been offered to it for accommodation, that "discussions with the provider are at an advanced stage", that the property was being assessed, and that the city council "have been consulted on the suitability of this accommodation".

Within minutes, there were calls online for the protest to begin immediately.

By 7pm, a crowd of between 100 and 200 people had gathered outside the property. They were addressed by several individuals associated with previous anti-immigrant and library protests, some from Fermoy, Waterford and Tipperary.

Some speakers tried to frame the protest as anti-Government, not anti-immigrant, with calls for the property to be used to house Irish homeless people. But live streams of the event, one of which has been viewed almost 40,000 times, platformed racist comments.

By Tuesday morning, the department said following a full review, it was no longer considering the property.

It has been asked what changed since Monday, and if it is still considering the property for IPA accommodation. A response is awaited.

Whatever happens next, Mr Gould said the debacle had damaged the ability of local communities and elected public representatives to identify potential accommodation centres to and to help integrate new arrivals.

“People in this area are very welcoming. There are a number of accommodation centres in the area already, and they were occupied without fuss, and the people have integrated well,” he said.

The vast majority of people who were at that protest on Monday were angry about a promised primary healthcare centre not being delivered in Mayfield, about certain regeneration projects not happening, about the slow delivery of social housing in the area.

“It was the anger of not knowing what was happening, of social media going crazy, then the differing reports. It was shambolic.” 

Independent councillor Ken O’Flynn said it was unacceptable that elected public representatives were kept in the dark.

“This lack of transparency led to anger and upset within the community,” he said.