Castletara site use ‘paused’ in effort to resolve issues

The Department of Integration says it has “paused” plans to house asylum seekers at a former equestrian centre in Castletara until such time as there is “further engagement” with locals “in an effort to clarify and resolve issues”.

Tomorrow (Thursday) ends the fourth week since Castletara residents began staging a round-the-clock protest near the Fairtown Lower facility.

Local residents have expressed concerns about the suitability of the accommodation, transport and other amenities for residents, and the potential impact in terms of security, among other issues.

According to a statement issued to the Celt by Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, it has now “paused the use of the property pending further engagement with interested parties in an effort to clarify and resolve issues, which resulted in local objection to its use to accommodate International Protection Applicants.”

A spokesperson for the Castletara protestors, Adrian Delaney, yesterday welcomed the decision by department to “pause” the process pending further engagement. He again reiterated the feeling of the community there that the location is “unsuitable” for the intended purpose.

The update comes as local councillors debated direct provision in the county at their October monthly meeting, including the protocols and communications, if any, provided by State agencies regarding the placement of persons in temporary accommodation.

The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) informed this newspaper that it accepted an offer of accommodation in Castletara and the property was inspected “on behalf” of the service in May of this year.

A Department spokesperson went on to say that, before the opening of any facility “the Department endeavours to engage with local representatives to provide information as soon as possible, following the agreement of terms with contractors. These constraints limit the time window for advance consultation.”

They outlined that, once an offer is received, IPAS sends a proposal template to the prospective provider that they are required to complete and return. This includes information on the building’s safety and fitness for occupancy, its catering provision and room sizes, its recreational and lounge facilities and various other criteria such as wi-fi, security provision and staffing.

The provider is also required to provide detailed information in relation to suitability for use, including valid fire certification.

“The number of IPAs and Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) arriving in Ireland is expected to remain at elevated levels for the foreseeable future. Access to suitable accommodation is severely constrained,” the spokesperson explained.

“The Department is continuing to avail of offers of accommodation made to it that meet the standards in our offer proposal mechanisms.”

The spokesperson added: “It is important to note that, over the past year, many communities across Ireland have demonstrated great solidarity and welcome for those who come here seeking refuge.”

At the meeting of Cavan County Council, members of the Bailieborough-Cootehill MD joined a motion tabled Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly who said she was “really shocked at how unsuitable” the Castletara site is after visiting earlier this month.

“The site is wholly unsuitable, it is located down a very narrow private cul-de-sac road. There is no public lighting, no footpaths, no public transport, no local amenities such as gym, sports facilities, shops etc. There is, I understand, a very inadequate sewerage system and the road is located off a long sweeping dangerous bend along a busy regional road.”

Like her fellow area representatives- Fine Gael’s Val Smith and Carmel Brady, Fianna Fáil’s Aiden Fitzpatrick and Clifford Kelly, and Sinn Féin’s Paddy McDonald - she voiced her support for the “peaceful protest” being mounted by locals in the area.

“They are a credit to their community and are fully within their rights to oppose this crazy plan,” said Cllr O’Reilly, who went on to state that she was “disappointed, but not surprised” that communication, consultation and engagement from DCEDIY “was, and still is extremely poor, not only with the local community, but also with Cavan County Council officials and elected representatives”.

This, she said, showed “a total disregard for respectful and sincere community engagement”.

Aside from claims that the Department is in “breach” of its own guidelines, she alleged in the council chamber that the department disseminated “incorrect information”, which created an “information vacuum, adding to the fears within the local community and severely damaging trust”.

She continued: “The entire handling of this issue has been a disgrace, it has done irreparable damage to relationships with the Castletara Community and it has highlighted a total disregard by the DCEDIY for the communities whose kindness they heavily rely on to carry out their demands.”

Cllr Smith agreed, describing the situation that has been allowed develop by the Department as a “disgrace”, with locals only learning about it by a “whisper”.

“What would have happened if they got it?” he asked, challenging regulations that fast-track the development of temporary accommodation, by or on behalf of State authorities.

“They have to get their ducks in a row. People are worried.”

Cllr Brady again voiced the opinion that the Fairtown facility is “unsuitable” for use as emergency accommodation, as did Cllr Kelly who noted that protests over the suitability of the property formerly known as the White Horse Hotel in Cootehill to accommodate Ukrainian refugees is now entering its 34th week.

“I can see the fear of the people in the community,” he said of visiting the Castletara protestors, where departmental records outline plans to house 34 male asylum seekers in the rural area.

“If I was living there, I’d be worried and I’d be protesting.”

He went on to say that he could not understand the thinking of Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department to try to house asylum seekers “in the middle of the country with no facilities”.

“It’s not the right place,” he asserted.

“This is for the community out there,” said Cllr McDonald on calls for greater engagement; while Cllr Fitzpatrick said “if this is the future and way that Ireland is moving, with IPAS going into an area that’s unsuitable, then we’re going down a bad road.”

There was support for the motion, and for the protesters in Castletara also, from Patricia Walsh (FF), TP O’Reilly (FG), and from Cathaoirleach Philip Brady who asked: “Who do IPAS answer to?”

Independent Cllr Shane P O’Reilly who tabled the motion asking for “a detailed account of protocols and communications” issued prior to temporary accommodation being granted, stated that it is a “countrywide” problem.

He challenged that the provision of temporary accommodation had become a “money making exercise” for some, and called on the council as the local authority in charge to begin examining planning and fire certificate for each facility.

Referencing recent comments by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar who suggested, as part of a new EU deal on migration, the State may pay into a fund instead of accepting more asylum seekers.

“I think the country has become a soft touch.”

Cllr O’Reilly also went on to ask the council’s executive if it was given prior notice if a refugee was a “criminal or arsonist, a paedophile or a rapist”.

He stated that there were people leaving prison and placed in temporary accommodation having “served their time” for serious offences, yet the local community was not informed of same.

“As a father of five, I’d like to know if a paedophile was living next to me,” he said, while questioning if asylum seekers are being “vetted” before being provided with accommodation here in Ireland.

Belturbet’s Brendan Fay supported the comments, voicing the opinion: “I don’t think any paedophile has done his time until the day they die.”

He offered his support to the community of Castletara as well, stating that the approach taken by the Department to date amounted to “bully boy tactics” and demanded that Minister O’Gorman “stop putting buses into dark lanes at 2am in the morning. It’s a disgrace and needs to be stopped.”

From the executive, Director of Services Eoin Doyle told the meeting that the council was as equally uninformed about the proposal to site direct provision accommodation in Castletara. “Much like yourselves, we were last in the queue.”

Fellow executive member Brendan Jennings confirmed that planning and fire certificates, generally, are matters of enforcement. He added that he would not address a specific case at the meeting.

The owner of the property has been contacted for comment.

Meanwhile, the department has commenced a “community engagement and communications approach”. A Community Engagement Team has met with representatives of the local communities in Castletara to “discuss their concerns”.

The spokesperson added: “The Department is cognisant of these issues and is working towards improving advance communications with elected local representatives, local authorities and local communities, for onward dissemination to interested parties in this regard.”