Officials to meet those protesting over new Cavan asylum seeker accommodation

Local Fianna Fáil TD, Niamh Smyth, met with protestors on Friday evening. She said there were approximately 70 people present at the protest when she visited. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Officials from the Department of Integration will this week meet with a group of people protesting outside new asylum seeker accommodation in Co Cavan.

The protests, ongoing since Friday, are taking place outside a renovated stables in Castletara which is set to accommodate international protection applicants.

Local Fianna Fáil TD, Niamh Smyth, met with protestors on Friday evening. She said there were approximately 70 people present at the protest when she visited.

Ms Smyth said the protestors were angry due to the lack of information on the centre from the Department of Integration.

In particular, she said the protestors had a “fear of the unknown” due to not being informed ahead of time.

The Cavan–Monaghan TD said the stables are located in a remote area and that there are not adequate facilities in the area to support the asylum seekers.

In a letter to Cavan County Local Development (CCLD), an official at the Department of Integration confirmed that international protection applicants would be housed at the facility.

The official confirmed an engagement team from the department would meet with the protestors this week, and said: 

People have concerns and while the team does not have a remit around allocation or timing, our role is to allay these concerns where we can.

They asked if CCLD would be in a position to facilitate a meeting and whether talks between local politicians and representatives of local residents would be “the best way forward”.

In recent weeks, there has been a significant shortage of accommodation for refugees, with approximately 750 Ukrainians due to be housed in tents, with most of these due to be accommodated at the Electric Picnic site in Co Laois.

The Department also contacted the National Ploughing Championships seeking to use its site in Ratheniska, Co Laois, but organisers said that the site was not suitable as it does not have campsite facilities.

The Integration Minister, Roderic O’Gorman, previously confirmed that the Government could not rule out the further use of tents for refugees into the future.