*Asylum seekers on site at Magowna House. Photograph: John Mangan
MINISTER FOR Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman (GP) has said Magowna House will continue to be used to accommodate male asylum seekers despite strong local opposition.
Since the arrival of 34 male asylum seekers on Monday evening, blockades have been mounted on both approaches to the slip road for the three star hotel which has been closed since 2019.
Clare’s Oireachtas members met with Minister O’Gorman to discuss the matter on Wednesday morning, a week on from receiving a briefing memo from his Department on plans to accommodate 69 male asylum seekers in Inch.
Those present included Cathal Crowe TD (FF), Michael McNamara TD (IND), Violet-Anne Wynne TD (IND), Senator Roisin Garvey (GP), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and Senator Martin Conway (FG). Joe Carey TD (FG) who remains on sick leave was not present but was represented by his parliamentary assistant, Ger O’Halloran.
At the meeting, Minister O’Gorman committed to meet with Inch residents to listen to their concerns. He also outlined that there was no intention from the Department to close the facility or to rescind the twelve month contract offered to the CRM Properties Ltd who have a lease for the operation of the facility.
Despite this assertion, Minister O’Gorman told the meeting that he personally hasn’t been involved in any negotiations with the operators or owners of Magowna House. He acknowledged that information sharing and communication on the issue has been poor.
Access to transport has been one of the concerns flagged by Inch residents, Minister O’Gorman said it is planned to have one return bus per day from Magowna to Ennis and that the frequency of this will be increased.
Asylum seekers are currently residing in the three holiday homes on the property as the hotel itself is not able to cater for persons. The meeting heard that a fire certificate for the main hotel building at Magowna House is not presently ready but is expected to be approved in the next two weeks which would allow for a higher occupancy of men at the premises. Currently, the main hotel building can be used for recreational activities and meals but not residentially.
On Tuesday evening, local residents met with management of Magowna House and were joined by Senator Dooley in their deliberations where the discussion of a lower quantity of asylum seekers was among the topics of conversation. No official negotiations have taken place on a reduced number to the 69 as first announced, the Minister confirmed.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Inch resident Patrick O’Malley insisted they hadn’t been failed by their politicians on the matter. “In fairness the politicians that we have been in contact with have been very helpful, I don’t want to criticise the politicians. Cathal Crowe and Michael McNamara didn’t sign up to this or put the people here, the system has let them down because there’s no accountability, the Department of Integration seems to be able to do what they want and who is going to stop them, it seems to be decisions made in Dublin for a small community in the west of Ireland, grin and bear it, Micheál Martin said we shouldn’t be protesting here today, Micheál Martin come down here and listen to our concerns, he shouldn’t be making empty remarks without seeing the situation. We had a meeting last Friday night, Roisin Garvey to start off with was explaining the situation of the Government but eventually she came round and said Magowna was not suitable and that she would have to ring Roderic O’Gorman but as it transpired they did come here”.
He added, “The politicians who have been the most helpful has been PJ Kelly our local councillor, he has gone over and beyond, my father has been on and off the phone to him for the last few months, PJ has been following this, his wife is from the local area originally. We’ve no Kilmaley councillor, Tom McNamara has stepped up, we thank Cathal Crowe and Michael McNamara who gave valid points”.
