Ring furious over lack of consultation in Achill

SEMINAR Minister Michael Ring expressed general enthusiasm about Ireland becoming more diverse at a recent 'Embracing Diversity' seminar in Bekan. He is pictured at the seminar with Sara Althovhaney. Pic: Allen Meagher

Edwin McGreal

Minister Michael Ring has expressed his fury over the lack of engagement with locals on Achill Island over plans for an emergency Direct Provision centre at Pollagh.
Efforts to contact Minister Ring yesterday (Bank Holiday Monday) were unsuccessful but speaking to The Sunday Times at the weekend, the Minister for Rural and Community Development was critical of the approach of the Department of Justice.
“You can’t be just bringing people in with nothing in place for them. You need to give the community information about what is involved and put in place the necessary services.
“There isn’t a community centre, leisure centre or cinema on Achill. When I wasn’t even told in advance, it shows the absence of consultation we are talking about,” he said.
The Sunday Times reported Minister Ring expressed his anger to Fine Gael party colleagues Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan and Minister for State for Equality, Immigration and Integration, David Stanton that the news was ‘all over the internet’ and calls were coming into his constituency office before he had any information.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: “This is not a direct provision centre and there is no long-term contract in place. The department was offered, and has booked, available beds in the Achill Head Hotel during the current low season as emergency accommodation for those seeking international protection.”
The Sunday Times also went on to report that a department source said consultation procedures were under constant review but the comptroller and auditor general had advised its senior officials that asylum accommodation must be put out to public tender and confidentiality requirements attached to the tender process.
Belmullet-based Senator Rose Conway-Walsh said the lack of consultation was the biggest concern.
“These are welcoming communities – there is nowhere more welcoming in the world – but to put people in a situation where fears are built up in an information vacuum is unfair and needs to be sorted as quickly as possible,” she said.
Meanwhile, speaking at an integration event in Ballyhaunis earlier this month, Minister Ring expressed general enthusiasm about Ireland becoming more diverse.  
“We should remember we’re a country of emigration. We should remember that our people went abroad.
“We wanted kindness from the people who saw our Irish coming into their country. And, by God, we all remember some of the signs they had up about Irish and coloured people ‘not wanted here’.
“To all the new people coming into this county and this country, we should help them, support them and work with them,” he said.
For more see page 16 for a full report on the integration event in Ballyhaunis.