Meeting hears why plans for IPAS centres in Laois village should be refused

WITH the deadline for submissions for objections to two planning applications for International Protection Accommodation Service IPAS centres in Durrow, tomorrow Wednesday 13 August, those opposed gathered last night (Monday 11 August) for an update on how their campaign is progressing.

While the initial public meeting drew up to 300 people in the Castle Arms Hotel, last night’s meeting attracted over 60.

Local representatives who attended last night were Dáil Deputies Willie Aird, Sean Fleming and Brian Stanley along with local councillors Ollie Clooney, James Kelly and Conor Bergin.

The meeting was told by its chairperson Ethel Dunphy that approximately 120 objections had, to date, been lodged with Laois County Council to the plans and that the deadline to submit objections in person is 1pm and online at 4pm tomorrow, Wednesday 13 August.

Cllr Clooney said: “There is total opposition to these. Not one person I have spoken with said it’s a good idea. The facilities are not there for these people (asylum seekers). We’re trying to get a one-way system along Mary Street (the proposed location of the IPAS centres), because it’s a disaster with traffic backing up along it. I’m confident that these planning applications will be refused because common sense must prevail.

“The word I’m getting is that IPAS is not as active as it was and asylum seekers coming to Ireland will be accommodated in larger hotels and settings. I have no evidence of that, it’s just what I’m being told from the top.” 

Deputy Stanley said that he and his wife, cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, have already made representations to the council on the matter.

He said: “There’s an issue with school accommodation in the area already. GP service in the Durrow area is shared with Rathdowney, Cullohill, Ballacolla and Attanagh. The Garda Station is limited in terms of the amount of time that its manned.” 

Deputy Stanley said: “This thing of using old pubs (two planning applications) and converting them into accommodation is not always appropriate. I know that with at least one of the buildings there are problems with that.” 

He said: “We must help genuine refugees who are fleeing from wars, persecution or famines. The previous Minister for Justice stated that up to 80% of asylum applicants are rejected. If we were just dealing with genuine applicants, it would be easy to accommodate them, but the pressure for accommodation comes when you have people in queues waiting to be processed. That time is too long, and it needs to be shortened. It should be done in a matter of months and appeals should be speeded up. Those who are not genuine applicants and have their applications rejected should leave the state. If somebody is rejected, like in any other country, they don’t have a legal right to stay in Ireland, they must leave.” 

He said he received communication from the department informing him that the “International Protection Services has received no offers of accommodation in relation to Mary Street, Durrow and the department is not examining the area for use. They said the department is not interested in examining accommodation is Durrow.” 

Deputy Willie Aird said that he too has been informed by the minister responsible for migration Colm Brophy that “there’s nothing on their books (for Durrow).

“I hope there’s reasonable thinking and studying of the planning applications. I’m assuming that all other local representatives will be opposing this. We have done our little bit in Laois on this (accommodating asylum seekers). The sooner Citywest Hotel comes the better (has been approved for state purchase to be used as accommodation for international protection applicants). The sooner they tighten up the time frame for turning around those that are not welcome, the better.” 

 Cllr Kelly said: “Ireland has always been a welcoming country. But it gets to a stage when we have to say stop. Last year there was €1billion spent on the IPAS situation. That’s up 54% from 2023. We know we have to look after people, but that’s going too far. There’s also about 1,000 people a month still coming into the country and there’s no borders up at the six-counties. Somebody is going to try and turn this village upside down by applying for IPAS centres in two buildings. It’s a disgrace.” 

Deputy Sean Fleming said: “This is about the physical planning of the application, not about the people who may be going into the premises. It’s about traffic, parking, the town and all the issues in it. If there’s going to be 20 rooms in them. There’s going to be 20 cars and then ten staff. So, where’s those 30 cars going to park? There’s limited parking in the town already.

“Laois has done a fair amount in this area (accommodating asylum seekers) in terms of the three locations we have already around the county (Abbeyleix, Rathdowney and Emo). We’re fortunate that there’s been no difficulties on them. But we don’t want to get to a tipping point.” 

He said: “No application has been submitted to have IPAS centres in the village. Even if Laois County Council gave planning permission, there is zero obligation on the department to take up any offer they receive (for IPAS centres in Durrow). I feel the wording of the planning applications, taking about IPAS centres is misleading because the property’s owner has no basis for putting it in the planning notice. I would say that it is an invalid planning notice. Those planning applications should be withdrawn, and I will be asking that it would be done.” 

“We are a good country and happy to take in genuine people fleeing war or prosecution. It’s in our DNA. When people do come in and go through the full vetting process and entitled to stay here, more luck to them, and we put our arms around them and look forward to them settling here. But if it’s the situation where they are refused, they should leave and that’s where we have fallen down.” 

Deputy Fleming said: “Last year, a man sat in front of me who is in an IPAS centre in this county was approved to stay in Ireland. Him, his wife and two children are continuing to live in that IPAS centre. He said he couldn’t move from the centre, because he couldn’t get on the housing list. He said he was working. He showed me his P60 and it showed €65,000. That was 18-months ago, given permission to stay in the state, will not leave the centre. The centre has asked him to leave, and he is refusing to leave.” 

One woman said that she lived in Australia for 12 years and told the meeting: “I couldn’t have just landed there and if left homeless, I couldn’t go to that government. You are allowing people to come in here and while waiting on visas, they’re left just roaming the streets. That’s the problem. Some are vetted. But the only thing that will show up on their form is their conviction. What about the other suspected crimes they haven’t been caught on, the murders, killings and rapes. There’re no direct flights from Nigeria or Jordan or places like that. They shouldn’t be allowed to travel through other EU countries to come here and to claim everything.” 

Responding to that Deputy Fleming said: “They’re coming through England, which is not in the EU and then down through Northern Ireland. Tonight’s meeting is to discuss objections to the planning applications and not about the colour of the skin. I’m not here to talk about people being vetted or unvetted, that’s for another day.”

In response to the issue raised by Deputy Fleming about the man who earned €65,000 another contributor said: “You can’t expect taxpayers who are paying that man’s rent not to get angry. Revoke his visa if he won’t leave.” 

Cllr Conor Bergin said he hoped that “the views of the people would be heard, and the planners make the right decision. If services are not here, we can’t be looking at putting IPAS centres in. We can’t bring people into an area where the services are not there.” 

Brian Corrigan from the Laois Labour Party said IPAS centres are too lucrative, and landlords won’t sign contracts unless there is income stream coming from them.

He said five years ago there was a report that stated reception centres should be built by 2023 and asked why are they not yet built?

He said: “It seems to me they’re more interested in building bike sheds and stuff that people don’t want rather than dealing with serious situations. It’s causing mayhem throughout the whole country with little pockets of direct provision centres. One such one is the Montague Hotel. That was meant to be done away with years ago and replaced with a proper functioning turnaround system.” 

In reply Deputy Aird said: “They probably have City West purchased and it’s the start of it. It will be the main centre. I don’t know if it will be sufficient to hold all the people coming in.” 

“The report says that about 3,500 new applicants come into the country every year,” said Mr Corrigan.

One woman asked that if work was being carried out on a premises during the planning stage would it affect a planning application?

Cllr James Kelly said that if that was the case with any planning application, a person could contact a local authority with a complaint, who in turn would then investigate the matter, “which could then be deemed an unauthorised development,” if it was found to be the case.

Another person asked, if a premises is listed as a vacant building and it was found that it was being lived in, could that person seek an €80,000 grant under the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant scheme?

“These issues are happening all over the country,” said another woman. “This country is in an absolute mess. People are worried, afraid and concerned. There’s a whole national movement about this. Durrow is just one example of what’s happening all over the country. We’re so soft. We brought you, your wife and your kids, we feed you food, you stayed in this accommodation that we provided. Now you’ve got a job, earning €65,000, but we’ve got no backbone to say leave. We are beyond pathetic.” 

“People are working their asses off, they’ve got kids and trying to get them school places,” said another person, “then see people coming in and not contributing a cent to the country and getting free accommodation. People are afraid to talk about the anger. Those who do talk are told they’re far right and racist. I know it’s not nice to talk about it. I know people don’t want to touch it, but it’s getting us nowhere. I feel the government is creating racism. The government is causing problems. Ireland was never a racist country. The image of the fighting Irish is long gone. But I’m afraid that people are going to get really, really angry and it’s already beginning to happen. We know the shit-show is coming.” 

Mr Corrigan said that IPAS centres “are likened to ponzi schemes. Unscrupulous landlords pile in with plenty of money to be made from them. The government is privatising the IPAS system. Something has to change. Villages like Durrow right across the country are being terrorised.” 

 Former cllr John Bonham, who lives directly across the road from one of the premises asked people to stay centred on the matter at hand, objecting to the two IPAS centres in the village.

He said: “There’s little point rambling on. This meeting must be relevant and focused on the two planning applications. This fight will not stop in the planning offices.” 

Before the meeting concluded the gathering was informed that Laois County Council is due to decide on the two planning applications on Wednesday 3 September.