Kinnegad Ukrainians being moved to make way 'for Georgians'

Up to 30 Ukrainian nationals settled in Kinnegad have received letters informing them that they are to be moved elsewhere by February 7 – and the understanding in the area is that they are to be replaced by 60 Georgian asylum seekers currently in Mullingar.

The Ukrainians have not been told whether they will be staying in Westmeath or moving farther afield. The letters state: “Please note transfers take place usually within days of this letter issuing so please prepare yourself for this.”

A local consultation meeting is due to take place in Kinnegad this evening, Tuesday, at which more details on the swap from Ukrainians to asylum seekers are to be given, but that meeting is not open to the public.

The matter was brought to the attention of Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District by Cllr Denis Leonard, who was critical of the decision to bring so many extra people into the town without consultation with the local authority.

He said the same thing happened three years ago when 180 people were moved into Harry’s of Kinnegad “overnight”, without consultation, and it had created a lot of problems, although after discussions, there was an agreement reached between the local liaison group, IPAS officials and local TDs, that the newcomers should be majority Ukrainian, with some IPAS residents.

“Eventually a lot of the Ukrainians began to settle, they went to local schools, some are working in local places. Now what’s been happening over the last few months is, somebody in their wisdom, is moving all the Ukrainians out, they’re moving in a lot of single men from Georgia – or wherever they’re coming from – and they’re talking about up to eight per room.”

Cllr Leonard said that at the same time, the Phoenix, across the road, is earmarked for renovation, but has no bar, no function room and no reception area – just bedrooms and a cafeteria, which he believes are intended for IPAS residents, the intention being to locate up to three or four people in each room.

“Basically, what could happen is you could end up in a town like Kinnegad with 3,000 people and not a single tourist bed. Not one,” he said.

“If you go to a wedding, funeral, any type of function, you have to go to Mullingar or somewhere else to get accommodation. So you could be left in a situation where you have both hotels used for the same reason, and yet there’s towns all over the country with four hotels and none of them used.

“The problem I highlighted here three years ago, and I’m going to highlight again, is that most of these people are not hoteliers, they’re business people, who go into operation with €130 per head per night guaranteed by the government for every resident they keep. So if you pile eight people into a room, that’s €1,000 per night; you don’t pay that in Ashford Castle or Dromoland Castle or Adare Manor – and you certainly don’t get the same level of service.”

Cllr Leonard said what is needed is “fair distribution”, where everyone is doing their bit for those emerging from the desperate situations in Ukraine and the Middle East, and that effort is undertaken in a sustainable way with consultation with communities.

“The argument used by IPAS – ‘well, if you consult communities, they won’t want people coming’ – is not the case,” he continued.

“People have accommodated people all over the country, into their homes, into their communities, into everywhere else.

“So now they’re talking about moving 60 people from Mullingar out to Kinnegad, they’re talking about being almost all single men in a small town with no amenities. I know our library is coming, our town park later this year, but up to now there are no amenities.”

He proposed that the district write to the Dept of Integration and ask that if movements of people are planned that the district be informed how many are coming and what the make-up of the group is.

“This is not a racist debate,” he said. “This is about sustainable movement of people, so communities can accommodate people up to their level of being able to.”

He said the department should be asked what the long-term intention for Harry’s is, and what the plans for The Phoenix are.

“I think we deserve to know. All of us – 11 of us – represent Kinnegad, not just me. And if it was Castlepollard or Coole or anyone else, I would be representing them as well, as I would people in Kinnegad.”

Cllr Alfie Devine fully support the motion, and said refugees and asylum seekers need to be placed in locations that have services for them.

Cllr David Jones was critical at the lack of information and consultation when people are being moved to an area: “We need facts from the department so we can stop the misinformation and disinformation being spread around,” he said.

Director of services, Deirdre Reilly, agreed that a letter could be written to the Department regarding the long-term plans for Harry’s and The Phoenix.