‘It is shrouded in secrecy’

Residents in Castletara have vowed to maintain their protests against the planned arrival of 34 asylum seekers in the rural area until their fears are allayed.

The residents insist they have not been consulted in any of the plans by the authorities and they won’t call off their peaceful demonstration along a junction off the main Cavan to Cootehill Road. Approximately 60 residents blocked the narrow laneway on Friday afternoon when rumours surfaced that a bus with the applicants were due to arrive at 5pm. When after an hour had passed a rota was organised to enable the majority to drift home.

“Some of the lads are wondering where we will put the Christmas tree and where we’ll have the turkey and ham,” said one local resident speaking on the condition of anonymity. “It might sound like a bit of a joke but the message behind it is true. We’ll be here as long as we have to.”

The Celt received confirmation from the relevant Department on Friday that discussions between International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) and the property owner were “at an advanced stage”. It said the former equestrian centre, which has been converted into apartments at Fartan Lower, could “be brought into use in the very near future” to provide accommodation to International Protection (IP) applicants.

Yesterday morning (Tuesday) there were over a dozen people maintaining a presence at the site - a constant vigil that began last Thursday.

Meeting

A meeting took place yesterday evening between community reps and Department officials.

Adrian Delaney, a man who lives in the area, was among those at the meeting.

He told the Celt today (Wednesday): "Representatives of local residents had a fairly positive meeting with the community engagement team from IPAS yesterday evening. We clearly outlined our concerns.

"The engagement team did not have the answers to concerns but will respond today. Peaceful protests will continue as no guarantee had been received that male applicants would not arrive in the meantime."

Another man voiced his concern to the Celt earlier this week that the choice of location was unsuitable.

“There are 34 males being put in and I don’t think it’s suitable for the community. There’s also a safety concern, it’s a very narrow road with poor access, a lot of traffic and a dangerous corner on it. There is no footpath or lighting or anything.

It’s too remote. The consultation should have happened first, which left a huge void and created fear.”

He said, despite receiving little support from public bodies, the protesters have the backing of the local people.

“We’ve had complete radio silence so far from authorities, a few politicians have shown up but we’ve heard nothing official. We’re here in shifts, 24 hours a day.

There’s a rota done up and we’ve been getting great support from the local area. People are dropping off firewood, lights, and food. I came here today at 9am and I’ll stay a few hours then I’ll go and come back later. People have been great, they were even here at 4am when it was absolutely teeming rain.”

A mother of four explained the group have a co-ordinated response plan in place should a bus arrive.

“There’s always at least 10-15 here,” said the woman who rejoined the protest having dropped her kids off to school and intended to stay until home time. “Everyone is on standby so, if the bus was to arrive, then an SOS call would go out and everyone would arrive out.

“If a bus was to arrive, we’d line the roads and form a barrier so they couldn’t get through, but we’d do it in a safe way.”

She expressed her concern for the men who would be accommodated in Fartan Lower: “People will get bored down there and be travelling about. They could be walking on the road and get hit. The Devil makes work for idle hands. You need to keep people busy, you need to organise things for them such as English lessons, courses, and jobs.”

A second female resident agreed the lack of information was creating fear.

“There’s nobody here who doesn’t want them, we just want to know who they are and where they’re coming from.”

When asked if they would help integrate any new arrivals in the area, she said that security was her main concern.

“If we knew of their background and what type of people we were dealing with, then we would get on to the Council to try to set up some sort of provision for them. The problem here is that it is shrouded in secrecy.

“They were going to parachute them in here last Thursday and we didn’t know about it until Wednesday evening. If they were telling us it was Ukrainian families, we would be here with open arms, but it’s all men. What does that say? There are lots of families in this area.

“We’re not racist here, but we don’t know if they’re garda vetted. I work in [the public sector] and I can’t move to work from one department to another without being Garda vetted, yet they can do this. It’s our belief that they get on a plane with documents and get off without them. Why?”

Speaking during a visit to the scene on Friday, Deputy Niamh Smyth said that she had, that day, received confirmation of the plan from the relevant official who confirmed that the contract had been signed for 12 months.

Deputy Smyth says that a lack of information from the authorities simply “whips up fear”.

“I feel we have been blind-sided here and that it is not the way to treat a community in any part of the country, but particularly here where it is a very rural part.

“What has absolutely hurt people most here is the lack of information and somehow the Department thinking that they can sign a contract… without consulting [the community].”

Prospective local election candidate for Sinn Féin, Stiofán Conaty, also voiced his support for the community in seeking answers over what he described as a “seemingly very sudden and puzzling decision”.

He said: “Refugees are welcome in our parish and Sinn Féin believe all international protection applicants deserve to be housed in appropriate accommodation, where local residents have been consulted.”

The chairperson of SF in Ballyhaise and Castletara voice further concerns about the suitability of the accommodation, lack of amenities nearby and links to public transport.

He criticised the manner by which the situation had been handled without local involvement. “It reflects Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s total disregard for communities and is certainly not conducive to the positive integration of migrant populations in Ireland. Residents deserve answers and Sinn Féin are calling on relevant authorities to engage with the local action group immediately.”

Support

Breifne Integrated, a local development company for rural development, social inclusion, employment, and community development, told the Celt they will assist both the local community and IPAs should they arrive.

“Our current role in Cavan County Local Development is to facilitate engagement and communication between the relevant parties and we are working very closely with our colleagues in Cavan County Council. If International Protection Applicants arrive to the proposed accommodation it will then be our role to work with the new arrivals, identify any immediate needs, and engage them with the local community so relationships can be formed while also working on an interagency level focusing on areas such as medical need, English language training, transport, training and education and access to employment.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) told the Celt: “IPAS is responding to an offer of accommodation made in respect of a former equestrian centre which has been converted into apartments in Fartan Lower, Cootehill, Co. Cavan. IPAS have been engaging with the provider of this property and discussions are at an advanced stage. It is anticipated that this property can be brought into use in the very near future to provide accommodation to IP applicants.

“The Department will engage with local representatives and will provide accurate information about the proposed use of the property.”

The owner of the property has been contacted by The Anglo-Celt for comment but had not yet responded at the time of going to print.

* Additional reporting by Damian McCarney and Seamus Enright

Photos by Sean McMahon