Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has said that the Government cannot ignore local communities while identifying and developing sites to accommodate International Protection applicants.

His comments follow the news that the Government has conceded a High Court challenge against a plan to accommodate asylum seekers in Athlone.

Teachta Ó Laoghaire said:

“The approach the Government has taken to locating accommodation centres has been chaotic. Their ongoing failure to plan ahead and to communicate has been bad for communities and bad for people who are seeking asylum.

“Their decision to concede this High Court challenge underlines how flawed the Government’s approach has been.

“The decision by the state not to defend the case points to the fact that the incoming Government are going to have to change their approach. The Government now needs to come forward and clarify how it intends to respond to this development.

“This case should serve as a catalyst for the Government to accept its approach to date clearly isn’t working and finally implement the changes that are needed.

“While the state’s approach in general has left a great deal to be desired, there is no excuse whatsoever for violence.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that staff have been injured and threats have been made to residents at this accommodation site. This is reprehensible behaviour and I condemn it entirely. 

“Where people have concerns, they have every right to express their concerns in legitimate ways and indeed the majority of people have done so in this instance. However, there can be no tolerance whatsoever of violence and intimidation, and the minority of people who are engaged in this appalling behaviour are totally out of order.

“Sinn Féin have been very clear in our stance on processes for delivering appropriate accommodation for International Protection applicants. Sinn Féin is the only party with a policy that demands proper engagement with communities. Our plan sets out how we would fix the broken international protection system and put in place a fair system that works.

“Our plan sets out how an audit should be undertaken in advance of building any IPAS centre. We would use criteria such as the availability of services and levels of economic and social disadvantage to determine locations for accommodation.

“Centres should not be located in areas that are so disadvantaged they lack the capacity or services to support them. Under Sinn Féin’s plan, the Pobal HP Deprivation Index will be used for such purposes. This would also identify the additional services that are needed, to ensure there are enough services for both local communities and people seeking asylum.

“There also needs to be a proper form of consultation, and residents ought to have a formal route for making submissions and for their views to be heard.

“The Government need to end their chaotic, haphazard approach and urgently implement the changes that Sinn Féin have outlined in our plan.”