*Photograph: John Mangan
INCH LOCALS have been asked to remove the barriers and blockades by the Minister of State at the Department of Integration but are likely to maintain their demonstrations.
The Clare Echo understands that locals will not accede to the requests from the Government to remove their blockades on the approach to Magowna House.
Junior Minister, Joe O’Brien (GP) was tasked with issuing the request to the people of Inch to remove the barriers at Magowna Cross, Magowna House and Magowna Hill.
In response to the arrival of 34 male asylum seekers to Magowna House on Monday evening, Inch residents cut off access to the property which closed in 2019 and was deemed not suitable to house Ukrainian residents last year.
O’Brien met with a delegation of residents at the Temple Gate Hotel on Wednesday evening. They did not comment when leaving the Ennis hotel and are to hold a meeting among themselves to discuss the recommendations from the Junior Minister before deciding what to do.
It was agreed at the meeting that no new men will arrive at the facility and that the total number of asylum seekers at Magowna House will not reach the initial figure of 69 that was first announced.
Locals remain annoyed with comments made the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar (FG) on Today with Claire Byrne.
The Clare Echo has learned that locals will discuss the matter in detail on Friday but that their initial stance is to keep their current system in place where residents are manning three different access points on four hour shifts.
MORE TO FOLLOW.
