LATEST: Roscrea protests continue into third night

Protestors outside a hotel in Roscrea are facing into the the third night of their demonstration against plans to repurpose the premises as accommodation for international protection applicants.

Protestors say they will attempt to block any vehicles carrying asylum seekers from entering the car park of the Racket Hall Hotel and have arranged shifts to ensure the barricade is manned at all times.

The Racket Hall Hotel was the only hotel operating in Roscrea until it closed the doors to the public on Thursday night following the announcement the owners of the facility have signed a 12-month contract to use it's 40 rooms to accommodate 160 "families of international protection applicants".

Weddings and family events, as well as several concerts and comedy shows, were abruptly cancelled and staff met management yesterday and were offered the option of retaining their jobs with additional training provided as necessary.

They have until Tuesday to decide if they will accept that offer and no details have emerged of the future for the hotel's part-time staff - many of whom are students from Roscrea.

The barricade at Racket Hall Hotel in Roscrea. Photo: D. Keegan

Earlier today Dáil representatives for Tipperary, Michael Lowry (Ind), Martin Browne (SF) and Mattie McGrath (Ind) addressed a crowd who assembled on Roscrea Main Street for a demonstration organised by local activist group Roscrea Stands Up.

Deputy Lowry said Roscrea is a "welcoming town with welcoming people" and said that resources to cope with the influx of people in Roscrea (pop 6,000k) were promised and not delivered.

"We got a commitment, on record in the Dáil, that in advance of any relocations happening public representatives and local leadership groups would be consulted - I have to say that on this occasion there was zero consultation", Deputy Lowry told the crowd which brought Roscrea's Main Street to a standstill.

"Roscrea is a traditional rural town. Roscrea is a friendly and welcoming place where people have shown great kindness already to refugees and a town of great community spirit. Roscrea is a town which has coped with a lot of setbacks and a lot of adversities - Roscrea is a town that is fighting back", Deputy Lowry said.

Deputy Lowry said Roscrea has benefited immensely from over €15-million investment to try and renew the town and described the situation as "ironic that just when we are bringing all this investment to the town another state agency comes along and snatches our hotel from under us - a hotel that is central to the commercial life of Roscrea".

"People need a place to stay when they visit Roscrea. That hotel has been used for birthdays, weddings, confirmations, first communions, for lunch after funerals and is a hugely important asset for the town", he said.

"We have reached a situation where we have a problem with capacity. Our classrooms are full, our GPs are full, our medical centres are full, our hospital in Limerick cannot cope - we do not have the resources, we do not have the capability to afford these people what they are entitled too - accommodation, access to medical care, access to education for their children.

"You can't tell me we are going to magic all these resources - it isn't going to happen. The Garda Station is closed at night - the numbers of Gardaí in Roscrea have dwindled from 27 down to seven and they are under enormous pressure. They are doing their best to control the situation but they are getting no support", Deputy Lowry said. "People feel vulnerable because they don't have security at their fingertips when they require it", he added.

"Roscrea has done it's bit and taken more than their fair share. Roscrea has been transformed by the influx of refugees and I am meeting people in this town who say Roscrea is losing it's identity and is losing it's character and sense of community. I've made my feelings very clear to government on this - they need to review their policy because they are at a critical stage where they need to ask is it fair to bring people fleeing war in here under the false expectation that we can continue to provide accommodation and the vital services that they need", he said.

'DICATATORSHIP'

Independent Tipperary TD, Mattie McGrath told the crowd that he feels the government are behaving "like a dictatorship" and that debate on the issue of asylum seekers is being supressed.

"Roscrea people are not far right, far left, or far anything - you are just people concerned about your families", Deputy McGrath said.

"The government are killing the spirit of communities by not engaging or respecting the people of Ireland", he said, adding "for eight months I've tried to have a debate on this in the Dáil".

"This is being debated in every workplace, every office, every taxi and every bus, but we can't have a debate in our parliament. The Taoiseach is out in Davos where he is not elected. All he's interested in is the economic forum and he's niot interested in the Irish people.

"The media now are just a mouthpiece for the government", Deputy McGrath said, adding that he has been "vilified" for speaking out against government policy.

LOSS OF HOTEL

Teresa Collins, founder of the We Are Still Here survivors group, also addressed the crowd and explained that she brings visitors from America, Canada and across Europe to Roscrea for the annual commemoration at the former mother and baby home at Sean Ross Abbey.

The former mother and baby home was located in Corville House on the grounds of Sean Ross Abbey, a building which is currently in use as a direct provision centre housing approximately 200 international protection applicants for over a year and located 2km from Racket Hall Hotel.

Ms. Collins said that visitors for the annual commemorative event would usually stay in Racket Hall. 

"I have nothing against refugees, but Roscrea needs our hotel", Ms. Collins said.

Last year a former Sacred Heart Convent located in the centre of Roscrea was repurposed to house asylum seekers after lying dormant for over 15 years. The facility will accommodate 400 Ukrainian families when it reaches full capacity and has been singled out as an example of successful integration by local elected representatives.