Emer Gallagher
THE BALLINA Chamber of Commerce have this week made known their opposition to the possible locating of an asylum centre in the middle of the town.
The Chamber met with Ballina -based Government TD Dara Calleary last week urging him to exert his power on the Department of Health in a bid to prevent the reported development of a Direct Provision Hostel in the Ridgepool Hotel. It has been widely speculated that the hotel will be turned into a Direct Provision Hostel for asylum-seekers.
The Chamber feels the development of such a centre would be in direct conflict with the Town Plan and the money already spent by the Government to market Ballina as a tourist town.
“We have explained to the Minister [for Justice, Brian Lenihan] that Ballina is dependent on the development of our tourist industry for the provision of jobs and growth opportunities in the town and the proposed change of usage of the Ridgepool Hotel is unacceptable to the business community. Over the past two years in excess of €200,000 of State and private money has been spent in promoting the town as a tourist destination, primarily focusing on fishing,” said Audrey Robinson, President of Ballina Chamber.
“The immediate locality of the proposed development has been earmarked for further growth in the area of arts, culture and tourism with plans for a new arts centre, a riverside walkway and an interpretive centre on the road where it is now proposed that the asylum centre is to be located.”
Ballina Chamber outlined that the building itself, due to its central location, lack of facilities for families, size and proximity to the river, is totally unsuitable for a Direct Provision Hostel. The high unemployment rate in the town was also cited as a factor for turning down such a proposal. These views were shared by Deputy Calleary.
“There is a lot of concern in the town regarding the centre and I have passed this concern to the Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan. I am waiting to hear back from him and get clarification on the issue,” said Deputy Calleary.
“I am aware the Department is not acquiring the site and it is being sold to a private purchaser but we have no clarification on who this is. There are companies who buy hotels and let the Department know, and the Department may then contract these companies to run these buildings as direct provision centres.”
