It's being described as unfair on both the asylum seekers and the local community.
Residents in Westmeath are looking for answers following the unannounced arrival of 150 asylum seekers.
The men were moved into the former Harry's Hotel in Kinnegad last Thursday without any prior consultation, according to local Labour councillor Denis Leonard.
It's believed there are more asylum seekers yet to arrive. It's not apparent how long it will take to process their asylum applications.
A man in his 50s was also assaulted at the hotel at 9.45 on Monday morning and a man in his 40s was subsequently arrested.
He's since been released from custody and file is being prepared for the DPP.
No injuries have been reported.
Garda investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Councillor Leonard says, while they're not opposed to asylum seekers, neither the hotel nor the town have the capacity to support such a volume of people.
He's been telling Midlands 103's Ellen Butler it isn't fair on the asylum seekers themselves or on the local community...
Councillor Leonard has written to the Minister for Equality and Integration, Roderic O'Gorman, and appealing to others to follow suit.
5th July 2022
Dear Minister O’Gorman,
I am writing to you about your decision, through IPAS, to move in 150 single male asylum seekers to Kinnegad last weekend without any consultation with our local community or Westmeath County Council.
Westmeath Council and the Kinnegad community have played its part over many years in housing immigrants and refugees to our country, including a massive response to the recent Ukrainian crisis. We have always played our part, but this situation is very different. We are a very small town with very limited community facilities, no indoor sports building, no library, no communal buildings, no adult education provision, and a tiny town park. Added to the pressure is the fact that there is nothing to do for 150 men who are not working and have no activity organised within the
hotel. This arrangement is not suitable for the local community, nor is it suitable for the men who have been moved in overnight. The hotel had been housing many foreign workers in recent months. These men never caused any trouble within the community. They, without any warning or consultation, were asked to leave the hotel to accommodate this large group. The hotel is not equipped for 150 single men. The new arrivals are complaining constantly about lack of food, facilities, and intimidation by certain members within their own group.
Kinnegad has only 4 full time Gardai and a part-time station which means when incidents happen, they must come from Mullingar 12 miles away or further afield. There have been numerous incidents reported over the weekend from a certain element among these arrivals and the Gardai find it difficult to deal with the volume of complaints. This has left most residents of Kinnegad feeling unsafe walking around their own community. This arrangement is simply not suitable, nor sustainable.
Your office needs to act immediately on this issue for the sake of both Kinnegad as a community and for the safety and wellbeing of the asylum
seekers themselves, who are being bullied and intimidated by some men within the group.
There must be a more suitable location for a group of this size who need to be facilitated more appropriately and humanely; and those who are intimidating the other men within the group, and within the community, need to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
Sincerely,
Cllr Denis Leonard.
In response to queries from Midlands 103, a spokesperson from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said;
"Since the lifting of international travel restrictions post-COVID 19, there has been a significant increase of new arrivals to Ireland seeking international protection. From the beginning of 2022, around 7,000 people have come to Ireland seeking protection. This is in addition to the arrival of Ukrainians who need assistance as a result of the Ukraine crisis.
"Due to the unprecedented demand, accommodation all around the country has been utilised to help house applicants on an emergency basis. Harry’s of Kinnegad, has recently come into use for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to provide such emergency accommodation. The hotel will host approximately 150 international protection applicants. IPAS officials are working closely with all temporary emergency accommodation providers to ensure any issues that may arise are resolved quickly."
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