Pressure on services is 'no argument' to send 55 Ukrainians away from Edenderry

An Offaly senator has said pressure on services like healthcare should not be an argument to protest against the arrival of 55 Ukrainians in Edenderry.

The people, mostly women and children, will finally move into the revamped shoe factory in Edenderry this month after months of works and delays.

The Department of Education says it is working with local schools to cater for those children of school age that have arrived as part of this cohort.

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Green Party Minister Pippa Hackett has welcomed the news, and expressed her firm belief that the people of Edenderry will receive the guests with open arms, adding that pressure on services was no argument against helping people fleeing the war.

“The profile of Edenderry is one of people with a strong sense of pride of place, and that is shared among those who grew up in the area and those who moved here, whether from other parts of Offaly, commuting workers based in Dublin, and those who have come from further afield,” she said.

“This is a town where people are committed to creating a family-friendly environment, and I’m completely committed to supporting them in their ambitions.

“There may be bad actors who will use red herring arguments such as pressure on services to try and stir up ill-will towards this decision, but my answer to that is that there is pressure on services, and in a town of 8,000 people, that is not an argument to turn away 55 people fleeing for their lives. Instead it is an argument to build up the local health infrastructure, to further support local schools, and to intensify the push to put in place new community facilities, such as the swimming pool.

“Edenderry is a town that is open for business, a town that welcomes visitors no matter how long they will stay, and a town that has the raw material to thrive, but it needs government support to do that. But most importantly, the welcoming, friendly nature of the people of this community will make this a place where our new visitors can stay safe from war and violence, allowing them to recover and heal, before in time become active and contributing members of a community – whether that’s here in Offaly, or back in Ukraine.

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“We’ve all seen the horrific scenes from Coolock and all I can say about that is that I condemn the criminality, and I hope for a full recovery for those who were injured. But that is not who we are here in North Offaly, we are delighted to welcome in anyone, and my role now is to ensure that the town has everything it needs to cater for everyone who lives here, whether they’ve been here for 50 years or 5 minutes," Senator Hackett concluded.