A march held in Roscrea this afternoon has heard that protests will continue at the Racket Hall Hotel until the government listens to proposals from locals who are mounting a 24/7 protest at the venue.
Mattie McGrath TD and Carol Nolan TD were amongst those who addressed the large crowd attending the rally which began at Racket Hall at 2.30 and saw protestors march from the hotel along the Old Dublin Road to the Market Square in the town.
Local TD Michael Lowry and Roscrea Independent Cllr Shane Lee also spoke at the march, which Tipp FM described as pulling a “massive” crowd.
“We’re not going anywhere, we have a rota done up Monday to Sunday,” the crowd heard. “We’re not going anywhere until we propose what we want, not what you’re offering, what we want – and we’re not standing down until we get it.”
https://twitter.com/CharsDeadSon/status/1748733902670233891
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
The Irish government picked a fight they won’t win.
Everytime the government plans to open a people trafficking centre protest will erupt. #IrelandBelongsToTheIrish #IrelandisFull
— Niall O’Hara 🇮🇪 (@ThoughtsToby) January 20, 2024
🚨#Roscrea protest March
This is what a community can do💪🏻#IrelandisFull #IrelandBelongsToTheIrish pic.twitter.com/cUjgbzG8bE— Speedy (@speedy_1916) January 20, 2024
Protests erupted in Roscrea in north Tipperary after it emerged that the government proposed to place 160 persons claiming international protection in the town’s only operational hotel. Critics of the proposal say the town is already hosting 600 refugees and asylum seekers.
"For Roderic O'Gorman to send down heavy-handed men to push people and shove women and children is totally wrong…what happened could have been avoided": Roscrea locals discuss asylum centre controversy. pic.twitter.com/wwqac4wBZF
— gript (@griptmedia) January 18, 2024
Roscrea Chamber of Commerce held a meeting Thursday evening with local businesses to discuss the fallout from the hotel’s closure for the next 12 months, and its impact on the local economy. Numerous events and weddings have already been cancelled.
Writing on Gript this week, Matt Treacy said that companies connected to the proposed asylum hotel had made large sums from other such accommodation centres.
The protest in Roscrea has attracted international attention, with The Telegraph interviewing local lorry driver Justin Phelan who said “his message to the 160 asylum seekers destined for his hometown is clear: “Roscrea is full”.”
“The services are on the ground here in this town,” Mr Phelan, 34, told The Telegraph. “Not just in this town – all across the country they’re on the ground. There’s God knows how many people on trolleys today in Limerick Hospital.
“We have around five GPs in this town. You call any of them this minute and he’ll say, ‘I don’t have space, I’m full up.’ There’s 33 children in my daughter’s class. Just imagine adding two more, with language difficulties. What effect is that going to have on the rest of the children already in the class?”
A poll by the Business Post/Red C in May 2023 found that 75 per cent of Irish voters believed Ireland had taken in “too many” refugees.