Justice department planned more robust defence of Kerry direct provision centre

Residents & South Kerry Locals stand together at the Skellig Star Direct Provision Centre in Cahersiveen on Tuesday as residents begin Hunger Strike. Picture: Alan Landers.

The Department of Justice initially intended to use a letter to the public to claim it "could not have done" things differently in relation to the opening of the controversial Skellig Star direct provision centre in Cahersiveen.

It also planned to say there was no link between the Covid-19 outbreak at the centre and an earlier case in a Dublin hotel, where the asylum seekers had previously stayed.