Using State land to house asylum seekers would avoid local conflicts, says Eamon Ryan

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan: 'There is no such thing as easy success here.'

The only way to create safe conditions for international protection applicants is to deliver accommodation on State lands, according to Eamon Ryan.

The Green Party leader said that this would be the focus of Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman and his team over the coming weeks.

"The first most important thing we need to do is to protect those people seeking shelter and provide accommodation for them," said Mr Ryan. "It's not ideal. It's not the accommodation we would want but it has to be safe."

Acknowledging recent incidents in Co Wicklow which saw some protestors abusing on-site workers and members of An Garda Síochána, Mr Ryan said that while he can understand concerns from the local community, Ireland also needs to provide basic shelter for those in need.

The use of State land would create safe conditions for the people while also avoiding conflict with the local communities, he said.

Mr Ryan rejected the idea that the Government is failing on the issue of migration, saying that many other EU countries are in the same position. He said that a two-and-a-half hour cabinet sub-committee meeting on Thursday night had gone very well.

"There is no such thing as easy success here. It's hard to manage a very difficult circumstance. I think Roderic and his team have done a really good job in very, very trying circumstances."

Around 100 asylum seekers who had queued outside the International Protection Office on Thursday were told that there is no accommodation currently available.

They were also told they were not permitted to pitch tents outside the Mount Street office. Up to 15 asylum seekers then slept in tents at St Mary's Church Park in Ballsbridge overnight but left the area this morning.

Greens in Government

At Wind Energy Ireland's 2024 Offshore Wind Conference in Dublin, Mr Ryan responded to remarks by Fianna Fáil's Lisa Chambers that it was time for a "break" with the Green Party. Mr Ryan said he did not agree with her comments and believes the current Government should run its full course.

"We are working very well collectively and now I think it's head down and deliver for the Irish people for the next nine months."

Looking ahead to the next general election, the Green Party leader is not ruling out going into government with any of the other parties.

"We want to go into government in the next government because this is a decade of change. It is not a time to sit on the bench," he told the Irish Examiner.

"We will work with all parties. Climate change is real and some parties are saying the we should stop action on climate now. We should pause the green transition.

"We disagree and we would work with all parties to make sure Ireland continues to go green."

At the conference on Friday, Mr Ryan launched the draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (Dmap) which is part of the Government's new plan-led approach to offshore wind development.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin called the publication a landmark development in forward spatial planning and a game-changer for how Ireland manages and plans its extensive maritime area.