PHOTOS: Roscrea protest continuing at Racket Hall Hotel

Protestors outside the Racket Hall Hotel. Photo: PJ Wright

placeholder image — Protestors outside the Racket Hall Hotel. Photo: PJ Wright

Protestors mounted a barricade at the hotel entrance last night - a further protest is planned in town centre for tomorrow

A protest outside the gates of Roscrea's only hotel against the decision to accommodate asylum seekers is continuing this morning.

Protestors say they have no plans to abandon their demonstration and plan to attempt to block any vehicles carrying international asylum applicants from entering the premises.

Last night, only hours after the Department of Integration and Equality informed local representatives about Racket Hall, protestors mounted a barricade and lit bonfires in barrels at the hotel car-park entrance. Over 200 people attended the demonstration and protestors have arranged shifts to keep the barricade manned.

A further protest is planned in the town centre for tomorrow at 3:30pm. The demonstration is organised by local activist group Roscrea Stands Up, who have invited local representatives to attend.

The decision to close the hotel to the public and accommodate 160 international protection applicants has drawn strong condemnation from local elected representatives and was described as a "tipping point" for Roscrea by Deputy Michael Lowry.

Roscrea's Garda Station is closed at night and the heritage town's healthcare services are overburdened elected representatives have pointed out and the town is already struggling with the dramatic influx in population last year.