Councillors reprimanded by Fianna Fáil for comments after Galway hotel fire

The Ross Lake House Hotel was due to accommodate 70 international protection applicants before the fire occurred

The blaze at Ross Lake House in Galway broke out at around 11.35pm on Saturday. Picture: Twitter/X

Two Fianna Fáil councillors have been reprimanded for their comments around asylum seekers following a blaze at a Galway hotel earmarked for international protection applicants.

The Ross Lake House Hotel in Rosscahill, Co Galway, was due to accommodate 70 international protection applicants before the fire occurred.

The blaze itself broke out at around 11.35pm on Saturday. No one is believed to have been inside the building at the time of the fire, with the situation brought under control by the fire service.

One Fianna Fáil councillor for Connemara, Séamus Walsh, blamed the Government's policies for the fire.

Mr Walsh said that while the cause of the fire is unknown at present and no-one can condone criminal damage, he added: “But we have to stand back and look at it, and if it was a criminal act, what made that criminal act happen, and it’s this senseless policy of the Government.

“The people are living in fear, and if it was done maliciously, it is absolutely the fear for the safety and wellbeing of their families that drove people to this.” A separate Fianna Fáil councillor, Noel Thomas, said that Ireland should no longer be taking in international protection applicants, telling RTÉ Radio One this morning that the “inn is full”.

“No, we shouldn’t because the inn is full. When you’re trying to solve a problem by creating more problems, it really doesn’t make sense,” Mr Thomas said.

“Like, what we have now in this country at the moment, we have a situation here where we are bringing more and more people in here, we have no place for them to stay, we’re putting them into hotels, we’re putting them into B&Bs, we’re putting them into rooms in houses. 

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"That is not proper accommodation for people and it’s actually causing a lot of upset in a lot of communities. We really have to start realising that the inn is full.” 

In a statement, a spokesperson for Fianna Fáil said: “Fianna Fáil is a Republican party and we believe in equality and inclusion. The dignity of every person must be respected, regardless of background.

“We do not accept any equivocation in respect of any criminal acts and do not accept attempts or suggestions being made to equate migration with increased criminality.

“Comments made to that effect by any public representative are wrong and unacceptable. The Party has made this clear on numerous occasions.” 

The spokesperson added: “Fianna Fáil again unreservedly condemns the criminal destruction that took place in Ross Lake House hotel in Co. Galway on Saturday night and comments made by Party representatives have been referred to the Party’s Rules and Procedures Committee.”