East Wall concerns 'hijacked' by far-right, says councillor
Protests in the East Wall area took place for the third time today. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
Genuine concerns from the East Wall community have been “hijacked” by the far-right, a local councillor has said.
Independent councillor Nial Ring said that the protests in the area, which took place for a third day today, had got to the point where locals made up just half of those present.
He said that locals were concerned about the lack of consultation or notice which was given to them about the arrival of 80 asylum seekers to the former ESB building on North Richmond Street and whether there will be sufficient support for the up to 380 people due to arrive at the former office building.
The first arrivals last week were a group of single men from Afghanistan, Somalia, and Nigeria, with up to 380 people including families set to be housed at the building as the Government tries to meet unprecedented demand for accommodation for refugees.
The Taoiseach today told the Dáil that there are now 17,192 people accommodated through the International Protection Accommodation System.
By comparison, at this point last year, there were approximately 7,250 in international protection accommodation. That is not including the 63,000 or so Ukrainians who have come to Ireland since Russia invaded in February.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told Micheál Martin in the Dáil that asylum seekers and the communities which are being asked to house them are being treated with “disrespect”.
“There has not been planning. There have not been additional resources for communities that host vulnerable people seeking international protection.
“East Wall is merely the latest example of this. East Wall, by the way, is a diverse and integrated community and yet now total unnecessary division and anxiety has been driven by a lack of dialogue and a lack of basic planning.”
Dublin Central TD Gary Gannon said that the issue showed that anger and fear about the housing and cost-of-living crises are being “misplaced and sent in the wrong direction”.
“This is not something that is reflective of the north inner-city community as a whole. This has been whipped up.
“Fringe elements of the far right are making people have a sense of fear of the unknown. I think that is what manifested itself last night and on Saturday.
“People have a right to seek international protection in this country. They are here seeking sanctuary and refuge and we have an obligation to meet that.”
Green Party Councillor Janet Horner said that elements of the far-right had become involved in the protests. She said that those who are angered by government policies should protest politicians, not a building that is housing asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, Minister Roderic O'Gorman said that the Department of Children is involved in “extensive engagement” with the community in East Wall and will be carrying out leaflet drops in the area from Wednesday.
Appearing before an Oireachtas committee Mr O’Gorman said that over the last nine months the Irish public have shown “huge solidarity” with those arriving from Ukraine and elsewhere and the State’s response has been supported by communities across the country.
He said his department will continue to foster that support, but he added that what is the largest humanitarian crisis faced by this country is “creating pressures and creating strain.”
Mr O’Gorman said his department will continue to provide shelter and safety to those arriving here irrespective of where they came from.
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