'Hold on a minute,' Carlow TD avoids asylum seeker protest questions in car crash RTÉ interview

Carlow/Kilkenny Fianna Fáil TD, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, refused to answer 'straightforward' questions in an RTÉ radio interview on Thursday morning over plans to house male international protection applicants in the Capuchin building. 

The Government reversed their plans to house fifty male international protection applicants at the Capuchin building located on Dublin Street, Carlow Town following an uproar on social media and protests in the county.

It has now been confirmed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that families will be housed at the old Friary building instead.

Local representatives were first informed about the housing plan on Tuesday, January 9 and on Wednesday evening, January 10 it was announced that the Department decided families must take precedence for accommodation.

Carlow Fianna Fáil TD Jennifer Murnane O'Connor was interviewed on RTÉ Radio 1 on the topic where she was pressed on if she supported and joined the the protests during the week. 

'The first information we had received was on Tuesday from the Department.

'I received a briefing document about international protection applicants going into the Capuchin Friary. There was a lot of false information and phone calls coming to my office. 

Murnane stated: 'As TD for Carlow my priority was to find out what I could for the people of Carlow. I was on to the Department and the Community Engagement team.

'Tuesday I got information and the applications were to go in on Friday.

'We had no information. I had no information, I had no communication with any of my constituency, none at all.'

When asked: 'What more information did you need?' by RTÉ broadcaster Mary Wilson, Deputy Murnane said she needed to know the exact ages of those who would be accommodated, the services they would be provided, and whether they were vetted.

All asylum seekers entering Ireland are 'vetted' upon arrival to the county, the RTÉ presenter pointed out to the Deputy. 

The Carlow TD said: 'Of course and families and children are a priority...I would have said children to me are very much a priority.'

RTÉ Radio 1's Mary Wilson asked: 'Hold on a minute Deputy, I'm trying to establish when...your first communication was that it was going to be male asylum seekers, when did that change to families?'

Deputy Murnane added: 'I received word Wednesday that families were going to be a priority for accommodation.

'I think we have to be very mindful here, whether it is man, woman or child, I am very mindful of that.' 

Mary Wilson asked: 'Were you personally against male asylum seekers being housed in the Capuchin centre?'

Deputy Murnane said: 'Mary, I am there to represent everybody.' 

The RTE presented added: 'It's a straightforward question. You're a leader in your community.'

Deputy Murnane added: 'We have to be very mindful, we are talking about human beings...I wanted to let my constituency know what was happening...

'We have to be very mindful that we are talking about human beings here, man, women, or child....my time as a public representative was to be working with the Department to get information.'

The RTÉ presenter added: 'I understand that and you've said that...I do want to establish two things...did you protest with those who were protesting at the Capuchin centre and we you speaking in favour of housing male asylum seekers there or were you saying no to the Department about that. Just two simple questions.'

Deputy Murnane again failed to answer and said: 'This isn't simple', she stated and was interrupted by the presenter who hit back and said: 'It's not simple but the questions are straightforward.'

'Mary, remember, we are talking about human beings.'

Mary again interrupted and asked: 'Did you protest? Did you support the protest?' 

Deputy Murnane said: "Mary, I will speak to everyone that was protesting there.'

Mary asked again: 'Did you join them on that protest?' 

Deputy Murnane: 'I am now Mary...and today I will speak to everybody...'

Mary asked again: 'I know ya, but did you join them on the protest.'

Deputy Murnane added: 'Mary, my time is more beneficial working with the Department...'

Mary replied: 'You're not going to answer that question...did you support the housing of male asylum seekers or did you push for families?'

Deputy Murnane added: 'I pushed to get information to confirm that children and families are going into the Capuchins now...'

Mary concluded: 'We'll leave it there, I did ask you two simple questions, I haven't got the answers to that but we will leave it there for now.'