Anger over department silence on asylum seekers and refugees

Two letters from Westmeath County Council to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth requesting consultation in cases where asylum seekers or refugees are being moved to accommodation in this area have gone unanswered.

The council is now to contact the department again, pointing out that the first letter was sent in March of this year.

“I think it’s a kind of an indication of what kind of esteem we are held by that department,” commented Cllr Denis Leonard, who was originator of the proposal that the council write to the department.

His remark came at the December meeting of the council, where he had asked if a response had yet come, reminding his colleagues that the letter had encouraged “greater cooperation” between the council and IPAS (International Protection Accommodation Services).

Cllr Leonard said in view of what the reaction was to attempts to house people in Coole, Kinnegad and Castletown, it was important that when people are being moved into an area, that it was done “appropriately [and] under the right kind of guidelines”.

It was also important that the county council had some input into the process.

“So can I get confirmation that that letter was sent?” he asked officials.

The response was that the letter was first sent in March, and since no reply had been forthcoming, a second letter was sent after the council’s November meeting. No response was received to that either.

“So I’m going to follow up on it again,” a member of the council’s top table team stated.

Cllr Leonard said he believed greater cooperation would be needed. He said it wasn’t that people were racist, but they were just wondering about their own communities and how to get better facilities in for both themselves and for anyone who might move in to their communities.

Cllr Leonard went on to say that with hoteliers receiving €130 per person per night for asylum seekers, a further concern was that the country is being left with less tourist accommodation.

“I do think we need to be part of the process as an honest broker. Because if we don’t, then we’re going to have situations developing that none of us want to stand over. So I’d ask that we don’t get a reply, that we seek a reply next month because this is a pot that’s just going to boil unless we do it properly and appropriately and democratically,” he concluded.