Achill people urged not to ‘divide’ over Direct Provision controversy

Edwin McGreal

At the end of an often heated and acrimonious meeting over plans for an emergency Direct Provision centre on Achill Island, the Achill community were urged not to split over the issue.
Local Fianna FΡil councillor Paul McNamara made the comments at the end of the two hour meeting on Wednesday night last in Ted’s Bar in Cashel.
The meeting heard from over 20 people, mostly locals, who expressed a range of opinions about the plans for the Achill Head Hotel in Pollagh to be used as emergency accommodation for asylum seekers awaiting placement in permanent Direct Provision centres. Close to 200 people were in attendance.
Cllr McNamara made an impassioned plea to those at the meeting and to the wider Achill community not to fall out over this.
“I’m pleading with you – our community is small enough. Please do not divide it over an issue that is nothing to do with any of us in this room. It has been forced upon us under wrong regulations. I’m pleading with you to not let that happen,” he said.
Social media has been full of rancour and tension since news of the plans broke. One speaker at the meeting, Michael O’Donnell from Pollagh outlined his fears about what the issue might do to the community.
“It will break the community and it has split the island,” he said.
Word of plans to open the Direct Provision centre had only filtered through on Achill earlier that day (Wednesday), with many locals expressing their anger at the lack of local consultation by the Department of Justice.
Mr O’Donnell described the Department as ‘devious and sneaky’ in how this issue was handled.
Cllr McNamara was critical of the lack of notification to the Achill community, saying he only became aware of the plans that morning. He described the news as ‘the best-kept secret’. He said he was told 40 people would be coming but could not confirm any breakdown of men, women and children.
Kate O’Malley, who lives close to the Achill Head Hotel, said at Wednesday’s public meeting she was able to speak to a minister that afternoon who confirmed to her that it would be all men coming to the island.
Cllr McNamara said he had spoken to Minister Ring who did not have such information. Ms O’Malley said her source was another minister. Her information was confirmed by Cllr McNamara on Friday.
“You can say what you want about peaceful vigils but it will become a protest and it will ruin our beautiful island and our lovely community. That’s what is going to happen,” she said.
“Look at all the holiday homes that are around the island that are empty. Bring in families that will integrate themselves in. Fill the schools. The schools are closing one by one. Bring them in like that,” she pleaded.
The meeting heard the Achill Head Hotel was due to welcome asylum seekers the following day (Thursday) but speaking the next morning, Cllr McNamara told The Mayo News that following calls by him, he was told nobody would be arriving at the hotel last Thursday.  
At the outset of the meeting, local resident Monica O’Gorman said the meeting had been called by a group of locals concerned about the ‘inhumane’ Direct Provision system, emphasising that ‘the people who are seeking the accommodation are not the targets here’.

‘Let’s get to know them’
Saoirse McHugh of the Green Party, who is from Dooagh, the next village to Pollagh, said that Direct Provision is a problem, not the people in it seeking asylum.
“Direct Provision sucks and nobody in it likes it. Amnesty International have condemned it. The Department of Justice handles it really poorly. I think the way to handle [this situation] is [to say] ‘They’re here, Direct Provision sucks, they don’t like it, we don’t like it, nobody likes it, let’s get to know them’,” she said.
She asked people who wanted to be part of a welcoming committee to leave their names on a list at the top of the room.
The meeting heard many people say the village of Pollagh is not a suitable location. With a population of approximately 100 people and the only amenities there being the hotel and a church, some speakers said the migrants would have ‘nothing to do’.
One speaker pointed out that the nearest post office is now 15 miles away following the closure of the post office in Keel.