‘Clear communication’ needed on refugee housing

PETITION 300 signatures handed into council

Members of Cavan County Council will write to Minister Roderic O’Gorman in a last ditch attempt to encourage “clear communication” between the Department and communities about the areas in which refugees are being accommodated.

The matter arose during this week’s meeting of Cavan County Council after Cllr Brendan Fay (Ind) put forward a motion asking the Minister to be “more open and co-operative” and to communicate with communities. He said the lack of information from the Department “is allowing misinformation to be spread and is causing anguish and fear in some communities”.

“As we know, refugees are arriving in Ireland and most people have no problem helping them out,” he continued.

“But unfortunately in recent times, the lack of information regarding the purchase of properties in Killeshandra and concerns raised over who has been allocated to the Scouts Den in Castlesaunderson has led to numerous people contacting me wanting answers. They also want to know why there is misleading information on social media.”

The council meeting went on to hear that public meetings at the gates of Castlesaunderson in recent weeks “have been very positive”.

However, Deputy Brendan Smith confirmed to this newspaper yesterday (Tuesday) that the plan for Castlesaunderson is now not proceeding (see page 3).

The Department of Integration and Scouting Ireland are in negotiations to accommodate Ukrainian refugees at the facility there.

It is the lack of information from the Minister and his department about the imminent arrival of refugees into communities that is at the very heart of the spread of lies, misinformation and untruths on social media, said Cllr Fay.

“This is about the lack of community engagement by Minister O’Gorman’s office. The Department should be answering the questions that everyone is asking and, most importantly, who will answer questions about the need for service provision in the communities into which these refugees are arriving.

“What about schools, for example? Who is going to provide the resources needed in schools where additional children are arriving?” asked Cllr Fay also highlighting services such as transport and healthcare.

Cllr Fay then presented 300 signatures to the executive of Cavan County Council from concerned members of the communities in Belturbet and Killeshandra requesting that the local authority write to the Minister “seeking clarification about what is going on”.

“People are terrified that what is happening in other parts of the country will happen in Cavan,” said Cllr Fay.

Cllr Shane P. O’Reilly then added: “It’s social media that is fuelling the fire of hate. Minister O’Gorman has lost the run of himself and is not on top of his brief. How refugees can be put into areas where there are no services and no transport absolutely beggars belief.

“Minister O’Gorman needs to resign from his position; he has let this country down and he has let the people of Ireland down. The genuine concerns and fears of people who are rooted in their communities are not being heard.”

Sinn Fein’s Paddy McDonald (SF) said it was incomprehensible that people are being put “into the middle of the country with no transport service, no health services and no supports around them”.

“We need to work together to provide for these people,” he said.

In conclusion, Cllr John Paul Feeley (FF) spoke of how 120 refugees arrived in Blacklion on Holy Thursday, 2022. “Yes there were issues in school; issues with transport but all the State agencies came together and they and the community worked tirelessly to address the problems,” he continued.

“They got through the challenges and these refugees and our community have had a really positive experience so far. I want to put it on the record that, while we have all had our challenges in Blacklion, a small rural area, we supported each other; we and the refugees were supported by the various agencies and the whole community got there.”