“Block the roads”: 500 at Cashel meeting on migrant centre in homeless hostel

500 people packed Halla na Féile in Cashel last night for a public meeting about plans to house migrants in a hostel that is being used to house homeless people in the town. It is understood that following public anger, the plans may now be paused.

Tipperary Live described it as an “an explosive public information meeting” and wrote that “after more than two hours of discussions, many locals still felt shock and anger at the suddenness of the news and the numbers involved”.

Local media reported that were calls from those at the meeting to “block the roads” into the town and also to protest at the building on John’s Street. It was clear from the briefing documents, the meeting organisers said, that those intended for what is currently a homeless hostel are not Ukrainian refugees.

Tipp FM said that local business woman Alison de Vere Hunt said there was already a sense of fear among the local community.

“People are saying you cannot walk at night, you can’t be out. 74 men is what we’ve been told. They’re International Protection Applicants – they’re not Ukrainians from all the documentation that’s been put out there.

Community activist, Liam Browne, who called the meeting in Halla na Féile, said that people had come in huge numbers to say that “what is being foisted on the town is unacceptable.”

“The sentiment that “they have to go somewhere”, is simply not acceptable,” he said. “Making a problem even greater, because you do not have a solution to the current problem, will simply cause an anger and resentment, and will lead to in my opinion not only violence in town, but the destruction of the reputation it has worked hugely to build up. Proper planning, consultation, and most important of all… listening.. not “talking to people”, listening to them, is what is needed,” he said.

“Right now, for that to happen. No International Protection Applicants should go into John Street Tuesday morning. None,” he added.

Local TD Mattie McGrath told Gript on Saturday that late on Thursday evening, elected representatives in Tipperary received an email informing them that Cashel Hostel was to be used to house 74 International Protection applicants (all male) from the following Tuesday.

“My immediate concern was that this Hostel has been used as the main emergency accommodation facility in South Tipperary area for those on the housing list who have found themselves homeless,” he said.

The Independent TD said that he “immediately contacted Minister of State Joe O’Brien, Minister Roderic O’Gorman (Department of Integration) and Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to find out if they were aware that this hostel is being used by Tipperary County Council for emergency accommodation and what provisions will be made for those instructed to leave emergency accommodation as a result of the new arrivals, and further stressed the fact that homeless accommodation in Tipperary is already under huge strain.”

“I received a phone call from an official in Minister Joe O Brien’s Department on Friday morning who in response to my queries stated that their job is to find accommodation for asylum seekers,” he said.

“They said it wasn’t their concern about what the building was currently being used for or the difficulties that this would cause for the Local Authority and those relying on emergency accommodation. They stated that they received an offer of accommodation and they accepted that offer, they further stated that they have a job to do in sourcing accommodation for refugees and that’s their main priority,” he revealed.

Mattie McGrath TD says that people in Cashel are shocked to learn a hostel currently being used to house homeless Irish people will switch to housing 74 asylum applicants next week.#gript pic.twitter.com/SsD2nZzI3I

— gript (@griptmedia) November 5, 2023

“I am extremely concerned that the Government Department with responsibility for housing refugees works in this way with no regard, communication or consultation with the Local Authority and public representatives about how their dealings will impact the local area and adversely affect our own social housing applicants and housing issues,” the Tipperary TD added.

Local Independent Cllr, Anne Marie Ryan said she believed that “displacing vulnerable homeless people to accommodate vulnerable asylum seekers is morally wrong.

“We have a major homeless crisis in Tipperary and it is getting worse. Cashel Town Hostel is the only homeless place that serves Tipperary/Cashel and the hinterlands. We cannot afford to lose that service. Funding should be made available from the Dept to allow Tipperary County Council sign a similar contract to the IPAS model, one that provides emergency accommodation for people in Tipperary at risk of homelessness,” she said.

“There has been no consultation with the local community, no listening to their concerns. Communication from the Department must involve listening to the concerns of the local community and finding ways to address these concerns.”

“It is likely that the men will be from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds that may not be compatible with each other nor with the community they are moving to. Putting 74 males into hostel style accommodation will lead to tensions that are bound to overspill into the community. Without proper integration supports, this type of resettlement can pose serious challenges for the community as well as for those coming through the IPAS system,” she said.

In an update posted this evening, Mattie McGrath said that he understood that the plans had been “temporarily paused” but that he “would not be letting the guard down” and that the plans “must be fully abandoned”.

More than 25,000 people who have claimed asylum are being housed by IPAS across the country. Large numbers have not come from countries experiencing war. 

In addition, some 100,000 Ukrainians have also arrived in Ireland having being granted temporary protection.