Coalition parties at loggerheads over ongoing refugee accommodation crisis

Gardaí with local residents as they blockade the asylum seeker accommodation at the Magowna House hotel in Inch, Co Clare. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The Coalition parties are at loggerheads over how to deal with the mounting crisis in providing refugee accommodation.

The Irish Examiner understands tensions came to a head at the Cabinet meeting when Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien “pushed back” on Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman. The tension comes as protestors in Clare prepare for a third day of barricading a hotel accommodating refugees.

Senior Government sources said Minister O’Gorman told colleagues he needed everyone to help him in securing more shelter.

However, it is understood the Tánaiste said a number of properties had been offered to Mr O’Gorman to be used in the medium to long term and queried their progress.

Mr O’Brien also hit back at Mr O’Gorman, and said he had already recommended a lot of accommodation and a lot of work had been done by local authorities to secure more shelter.

It is understood Mr O’Brien said it is not fair that the perception is Mr O’Gorman is doing all of this work on his own. 

His frustrations were in the context that there is a view that “not all efforts are being made” to tackle the issue while he is also dealing with the rising homelessness figures.

Senior Government sources said Minister Roderic O’Gorman told colleagues he needed everyone to help him in securing more shelter. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Senior Government sources said there is frustration that properties being offered for use in the medium to long term are not being worked on, and this is “prolonging the problem".

“Those sitting at the Cabinet table were not satisfied with Roderic’s response to them,” one source said.

Another source said that Mr O’Gorman has been offered disused buildings but has been warned they require some work but “there doesn’t seem to be further engagement” on these properties and instead a focus on short-term solutions.

Sources also said that the Green Party went to Cabinet with a “coordinated approach” where Mr O’Gorman was backed by Ministers Catherine Martin and Eamon Ryan.

It is understood Justice Minister Simon Harris told Cabinet colleagues that given there is a concern that there will be an escalation in protests, gardaí should be consulted in accommodation plans going forward.

Senior officials at all relevant departments across Government are to meet on Wednesday on the accommodation issue.