Gardaí and Department of Integration update protocol on migrant accommodation
It follows strong public criticism from the Garda leadership at the “very late” notification they received about the intended use of a remote Galway hotel which was burned down last Saturday. Picture: Twitter/X
The Department of Integration and An Garda Síochána have agreed an “updated” protocol in relation to notification regarding new accommodation centres for asylum seekers.
The new version followed strong public criticism from the Garda leadership at the “very late” notification they received about the intended use of a remote Galway hotel which was burned down last Saturday.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon repeatedly expressed their frustration at what they said was an ongoing problem, which prevented them from conducting risk assessments and putting in place appropriate security and policing measures.
Commissioner Harris said gardaí learned from local councillors last Friday week about use of the Ross Lake House Hotel in Connemara, the day before the arson attack.
The Department of Integration disputed the Garda account on Wednesday and said their officials gave a "full brief" to gardaí that Friday which, it said, was at least a week before the applicants were due to arrive.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that according to the Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman gardaí were informed in writing but that “for whatever reason that message didn’t get through to all of the right people on the ground”.
The understands that the email was sent to a different section of An Garda Síochána than the correct one and wasn’t passed on. It is thought the “updated” protocols spells out the appropriate Garda sections that need to be notified.
It is not clear, however, if the protocol states that gardaí need to be notified much earlier in the process, as per the requests of Garda authorities.
Garda HQ have said there was no point informing gardaí at the same time as local councillors and other local agencies and that they needed to be notified far earlier, in order to conduct risk assessments and liaise with the property owner regarding security advice.
