Tension between asylum seekers and locals in North Tipp, claims Cllr Morris

A Councillor has claimed this week that there is considerable tension between asylum seekers and locals in North Tipperary.

Cllr Seamus Morris told The Midland Tribune that he is very concerned about the situation and he is tabling a motion about the matter during the December monthly meeting of Tipperary County Council.

This motion will call upon the International Protection office or the relevant ministers to cease the movement of IPAS (International Protection Accommodation Services) asylum seekers into town and villages “without first of all contacting local councils to see if the appropriate facilities for IPAS asylum seekers are in place.”

Cllr Morris said IPAS should engage with the Council and ask the Council if the proposed buildings for housing the asylum seekers are in fact suitable.

He pointed out that the local council should be part of the decision making process “thereby taking out the secrecy in the process that exists at the moment."

The councillor's motion is also proposing that all IPAS applicants should be fully vetted, get Garda Clearance and should have “successfully made it through the asylum process before they are moved around the country.”

He pointed out the difference between asylum seekers and refugees. Asylum seekers are those who haven't yet been granted protection in the country they have fled to, whereas refugees have been given this protection.

Tipperary is open to refugees, Cllr Morris stressed. He praised the 80 refugees (16 families) in Riverside Apartments, Borrisokane, who arrived in the town four years ago. “They are a huge asset to the local community. They are working. Their children are in the local schools. It's worked out very well; but that's only because we insisted on dragging representatives of the Department of Justice kicking and screaming down to the town to engage in a meeting with the concerned locals.”

While Borrisokane has been a success, a similar proposal for the village of Puckaun was met with firm resistance and didn't go ahead. “The Department was talking about bringing 50 to 60 asylum seekers down to Puckaun and housing them in 16 thatched cottages,” the Councillor pointed out. “There were no back doors in these cottages which meant you couldn't get a fire cert and yet they were trying to bring them in. Locals, rightfully, objected and they didn't come.”

He said there are a number of nursing homes throughout Tipperary which are empty “and people are looking at them with fear because they fear they will be used for asylum seekers.

“No one is giving out about genuine refugees, about those fleeing terrible situations and terrible wars. What people are giving out about are the bogus asylum seekers and there are quite a few of those. There are people who are coming into Ireland who are not genuine asylum seekers and are just chancing their arm. Some people in government are ideologically naive and they don't see this truth.”

He said many people throughout North Tipperary are in fear of their town or village being picked and a busload of asylum seekers arriving during the night under a veil of secrecy. “They are in fear of unemployed asylum seekers who have nothing to do all day and end up making a nuisance of themselves.”

There are 19,000 IPAS applicants in Ireland at the moment, he continued. “5,000 of them have arrived here without a passport. Deportation Orders have been served on 2,500 of them but only 600 of those orders have been carried out.

“The government is being reckless with the situation. Ireland has more than done its duty regarding asylum seekers. The government needs to take some control of the situation and restore some semblance of proper planning and order.”