A motion was brought before Kilkenny County Council yesterday over the lack of consultation with local communities and elected members, in relation to those seeking International Projection here.
Councillors Andrew McGuinness and Michael Doyle asked that the local authority write to Minister Roderic O’Gorman to express its deep concerns.
The local representatives also asked that the council outline its opposition to accommodating large numbers of occupants in the city and county, until there’s proper consultation beforehand.
Their reasoning for tabling the motion was in relation to “little regard” for infrastructure, amenities, capacity and planning before international protection applicants are moved in.
Speaking to KCLR news, Councillor Maria Dollard, who voted against the motion, told KCLR News she did so because; “I think that we do need proper consultation with people in terms of community engagement, in terms of getting opinions and information from the people who are on the ground and living in communities but the other part of the motion really, kindof, is it’s almost like a blanket indication that we don’t really have any place for refugees in Kilkenny and Kilkenny is in fact the lowest level of refugees in the entire country”.
She adds “I think that we have a duty you know to, where we can, to provide accommodation, if we can for these people, it’s not good enough that they’re on the streets in Dublin, it’s a shame to us that we can’t find the places for these people so I don’t want to support a motion that might be interpreted as indicating that we have a real opposition to aslyum seekers living amonst us”.
