'An incredibly dangerous question,' Row erupts over West Waterford Hotel housing refugees
Council building in Dungarvan
A row erupted at the September sitting of the Dungarvan-Lismore District Council meeting over a letter not written to the Department of Justice about the future of the Clonea Strand Hotel.
At the July sitting of the council, Councillor Damien Geoghegan asked that the district write to the department regarding the hotel, which is currently in use as a Reception and Orientation Centre to house refugees, primarily from Syria.
The letter was not written after last month’s meeting, and district manager Ivan Grimes said he wasn’t sure exactly what the councillor wanted him to ask.
Cllr Geoghegan said he simply wanted to ask what the plans were for the hotel in the future.
Cllr Joe O’Riordan raised the issue during matters arising at the September meeting.
He said he didn’t understand the “fascination” with the centre.
“It is 100 people living out there, 54 of them are children. Less than one percent of the population.
"I think we have far more important matters that we could be concerning ourselves with than with people who are refugees from really dangerous situations,” said Cllr O’Riordan.
The councillor cited a report written by the Waterford News and Star.
In that report, this paper cited UN reports of an ongoing lack of water and food affecting millions of people in the country, as well as continuing violence in Syria.
Cllr Geoghegan said at this month’s meeting that he does not “take guidance from the Waterford News and Star” and was only asking a question.
“There is no fascination with the ROC centre whatsoever. I will take guidance from the Department of Justice and not from the Waterford News and Star actually.
“So what I am asking is what are the plans for it going forward. That’s all. Cllr O’Riordan, to be fair to him, had some very valid points there.
"What we have seen happen in this country is that we can’t even discuss something. I won’t be silenced on it.
“I haven’t been critical of the department for having it out there.
"I haven’t said anything in that regard. Nothing whatsoever on that ROC centre, only that we write to the department going forward. That’s all” said Cllr Geoghegan.
Cllr O’Riordan said he thought the question was “incredibly dangerous” given that there are groups weaponising discussion on topics around refugees and asylum seekers.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Niamh O’Donovan ended the discussion there.
“We are going to follow this up, and the letter will be written, and we can decide and we can discuss it outside of this meeting,” said Cllr O’Donovan.
