The Crown Paints factory in Coolock, which is set to house 500 asylum seekers, “wouldn’t be of a good enough quality” to house people on the housing list, a Fine Gael Senator has said.
The remarks were made by Senator Barry Ward on RTÉ’s Prime Time last week, after Donaghmede local Tamara Kearns said that some residents were frustrated that there were “thousands of people waiting for some sort of housing” and that “everyone deserves a roof over their head.”
Responding to this statement, Senator Ward said that the Department of Integration had identified “a number of sites throughout the country” which would make suitable asylum accommodation, and that abandoned factories were perfect for this because they weren’t of sufficient quality to give to people on the housing list.
“An abandoned factory is exactly the right place,” he said.
“…What’s being made available to International Protection Applicants at the Crown Paints factory could not be made available as housing for people.
“It wouldn’t be of a good enough quality to house people on the housing list. So it’s important to remember that they are two totally different issues that are being addressed by the government.”
The remarks come as the Crown Paints site has been set alight in an arson attack as of last night – the fifth such attack in the space of a few days.
Fiery clashes between local rioters and Gardaí have ensued over the past week, with over 20 people being charged amid the dramatic scenes.
Despite these facts, Ward denied that the government has any culpability in the demonstrations.
Asked if the country was seeing a breakdown in social cohesion, Ward replied: “No, I don’t think so.
“I think it’s very important that people have the right to protest, and people can protest. But what we’ve seen in Coolock is not protest – it’s lawlessness. It’s criminal damage. It’s people breaking the law, plain and simple.”
He added: “It’s not the fault of the Gardaí, it’s not the fault of the government, it’s certainly not the fault of the people who are coming here seeking asylum that that’s happening. It’s people who think that they are above the law, and that’s not acceptable.”