*Agnes O’Malley speaking on behalf of Inch residents on Wednesday night. Photograph: John Mangan
INCH RESIDENTS HAVE committed to continue their protest for the long-haul and have voiced disappointment with senior Government officials.
Meetings took place on Wednesday morning between Clare’s Oireachtas members and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman (GP).
On Monday evening, 34 male asylum seekers arrived at Magowna House with locals reacting immediately to mount blockades which have been manned for the past three days.
Locals had refrained from commenting on Wednesday in the aftermath of Minister O’Gorman’s meeting with the Clare politicians but issued a collective statement outside Magowna House on Wednesday night.
Agnes O’Malley who lives just a stone’s throw from Magowna House spoke on behalf of the Inch locals. “Having read the Minister’s reply to our elected representatives today, we feel disappointed and let down with his response. Our position as a community is that this location is totally unsuitable for this purpose, we invite Minister O’Gorman to come down in-person to view the location and accommodation. Our peaceful protests will continue”.
BREAKING: Statement from Inch residents read by Agnes O’Malley in the past half hour outside Magowna House.
Locals “disappointed & letdown” following meeting of Minister O’Gorman & Clare politicians. They invite the Minister to Inch.
“Our peaceful protest will continue”. pic.twitter.com/CSZFdhzcxl
— Páraic McMahon (@thepmanofficial) May 17, 2023
Speaking in Dublin earlier on Wednesday evening, Minister O’Gorman said of his meeting with Clare TDs and Senators, “We went through a number of the local concerns that the TDs and senators raised, particularly in terms of transport for international protection applicants. We set out there would be a shuttle bus and addressed a number of issues. We said we were open to engagements and indeed meeting with a delegation of locals from the Inch community and that’s something we’d look to advance”.
Magowna House “had to be used” due to the accommodation pressure in the country, Minister O’Gorman said. He criticised the blockade at Magowna House as “entirely unacceptable”.
“People have the right to protest, people have the right to disagree with Government policy, but to prevent people accessing the accommodation that they have is not acceptable,” he added.
When questioned by reporters in the capital, Minister O’Gorman would not be drawn on whether he would travel to Co Clare, but said he was open to an online discussion or a meeting of a delegation to address local concerns.
