Reaction to Roscrea community hotel suggestion disappoints local Fianna Fáil Councillor

Roscrea based Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Smith said he is disappointed at local reaction to the suggestion to resurrect Grant's Hotel in Roscrea as a 'community hotel' - which he feels was a 'constructive' suggestion during one of the town's darkest hours.

"Roscrea was awarded Town Centre First Status in February 2022 and following extensive public consultation, the development and regeneration of the hotel and Castle Street was listed as a priority", Cllr. Smith explained.

"This plan was adopted and published in November 2023. However, this could only come to fruition when the hotel was put up for sale late last year.

"I knew when promoting the idea of a Community hotel that the Government was prepared to support ventures in towns that had taken more than their fair share of refugees. Yet, this announcement was met with a tirade of opposition and in my opinion a constructive idea was belittled.

"It appears that many protestors were obviously against any worthwhile solution to a problem that arose due to commercial decisions taken by the owners of the Racket Hall Hotel", Councillor Michael Smith told the Midland Tribune on Monday (Jan 22).

"I was disappointed that Deputy Lowry with his business acumen was not willing to support an innovative solution", Cllr. Smith said, referencing comments from Deputy Lowry on national media which he repeated when he addressed a gathering of several thousand protestors on Saturday on Castle Street.

Councillor Smith told this newspaper he was taken aback by the vitriol in messages directed towards his family subsequent to his suggestion on Grant's Hotel.

"The character assassination, text messages, phone calls and social media attacks intensified. Lies, false accusations and personal attacks have continued, even my Dad who is in his early 80’s was not spared.

"I wonder what the real goal is here? Is all this abuse just because of a difference of opinion on how we deal with asylum seekers and refugees or is it more sinister?

"I have worked for my local electoral area for 20 years. I will continue to remain focused on getting the best outcome for the area and restoring the good reputation and image of Roscrea despite the provocations. 

"A day will come when the negative voices will die down and be replaced by positive action, by community spirited and work oriented people", Cllr. Smith said.

Meanwhile, demonstrations outside the Racket Hall Hotel on the outskirts of Roscrea are continuing today as protests against the repurposing of the hotel for emergency accommodation for asylum seekers move into their eleventh day.

Local people, supportive of the protest and not wishing to be identified in the press, have expressed some concerns at protests continuing outside the premises after people seeking asylum are now accommodated inside.

"They (the asylum seekers now accommodated in the hotel) might not understand this is about local people and local resources and might feel scared or intimidated. It would be better to put their protest outside the door of the council office and they'd get even more support" one local business owner told this newspaper.

See our extensive coverage of the Racket Hall Hotel protests in this week's Midland Tribune (on sale Jan 24)