A Kilkenny councillor says a motion tabled at yesterday’s county council meeting does not mean International Protection Applicants are not welcome locally.
Cllrs Michael Doyle and Andrew McGuinness set forward the following for discussion at the local authority’s full monthly meet; “That this Council would write to Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, to express our deep concern and disappointment regarding the lack of consultation with local communities and the Elected Members of Kilkenny County Council in relation to the accommodation of IPAS. Also, to outline our opposition to accommodating large numbers of occupants in various areas in Kilkenny City & County with little regard for infrastructure, amenities, capacity, planning and the local area, potentially creating serious problems for proposed future occupants and local communities. “
It was largely carried, though not unanimously with Cllr Maria Dollard voting against.
Cllr Doyle, who’s Cathaoirleach of the council, says the issue is with what’s communicated to those living locally, telling KCLR News; “There is no communication, that’s the issue and we were just asking the Minister Roderic O’Gorman that he needs to take a look at this, inform communities of what’s going on and let the communities know that there’s potential changes coming to the community, there’s a lot of communities out there willing to help out but there’s also areas that are being applied for in Kilkenny currently and there’s no communication and they’re totally unsuitable”.
He adds “Rural areas in my view with no services at all and it’s a huge issue and it’s creating huge distress within those communities so we’d be calling on Roderic O’Gorman to communicate with those communities and let them know the process that takes place in those applications”.
