Department refuses to rethink housing 70 international protection applicants in Killarney

Kerry County Council’s Director of Services for Community and Economic Development said that Killarney's GP and other services are 'at capacity'

Education Minister Norma Foley told Radio Kerry on Friday that the capacity of Kerry to accommodate international protection applicants going forward needed to be looked at "in the main and in the round".

The Department of Integration has rejected a call from Kerry County Council's executive to reconsider opening a further International Protection Centre in the heart of Killarney because of the pressure on services.

A total of 70 male international protection applicants are to be accommodated in the Kingscourt Harmony Inn, on the Muckross Road. Some of the men are expected to arrive at the hotel on Sunday, with more arriving on Monday.

The department informed local TDs and councillors by email on Monday that the 22-bedroom hotel was being put into use as ‘temporary shelter to International Protection applicants'. It was unable to say how long the men would be staying.

The email from the Department’s Community Engagement team noted how the new arrivals will have access to health care through mainstream primary care, GP and emergency services and that English language classes are also available.

However, that claim was disputed by Kerry County Council’s Director of Services for Community and Economic Development Niamh O’Sullivan, who called for the move to be reconsidered.

In a letter to the department, she pointed out that Killarney's GP and other services, including English language support services, are "at capacity". The HSE had informed the department that it has no additional GP capacity in Killarney, Ms O’Sullivan stressed.

In addition, Kerry Education and Training Board has advised that English language support classes are at capacity in Killarney, and this has also been communicated to DCEDIY, Ms O'Sullivan wrote.

Ms O’Sullivan said:

As has already been stated, access to support services, especially in terms access to health and education, remains a critical priority for accommodation provision for refugees in Kerry and considering this, we would ask the department to reconsider their proposal until such time as the necessary additional capacity for support services are in place.

However in a statement tonight, the Department of Integration said the current situation with the numbers arriving in the country seeking accommodation means it has to consider all offers.

"Ireland is now accommodating over 96,660 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection applicants. This compares with 8,300 in February 2022. This includes over 72,440 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State, it said.

"In the context of this crisis, the State is availing of all offers of accommodation made in order to address the urgent accommodation need. The Department is considering accommodation offers in County Kerry in the same way as other counties, taking into account existing numbers and available service provision" the statement read. 

"The Department does engage with local authorities to see if there are sufficient local resources to support additional numbers of new arrivals in a specific area, re schools, doctors etc. While the Department does take the views of the local authority into account, when making a final decision on whether to contract for a property, this must be balanced with the need to provide urgent accommodation."

Killarney currently has three IP centres, housing up to 300 people. In addition, Killarney accommodates more than 2,500 Ukrainian refugees in hotels and guesthouses.

Education Minister Norma Foley told Radio Kerry on Friday that because of the numbers now in Kerry, and "the absolute legitimate concerns" about medical and education services, the capacity of Kerry going forward needed to be looked at "in the main and in the round".

"There comes a point where you have to look at the system in place," she said. There was no shortage of compassion, but there was a challenge in terms of capacity, she said.

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Asked about the effect on tourism, Ms Foley said a significant number of providers in tourist counties such as Kerry, Donegal and Clare were making their premises available to the department. The department was under pressure and was "taking the opportunity" when providers stepped forward, she said.

Also speaking on Radio Kerry, Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae said the numbers of arrivals should have been capped at 20,000. "I am calling for it to stop. We have enough,’ the TD said.  

On the same show, Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly said it was "impractical to limit" or put a cap on arrivals when pressed on if the department should reconsider placing further numbers in Killarney.