Asylum secrecy

Ballina asylum centre shrouded in secrecy

Áine Ryan

COMMUNITY consultation must be a pre-requisite to the opening of a Direct Provision Hostel for asylum-seekers in Ballina. That’s according to the Chairman of Mayo Intercultural Action (MIA), Ms Thérese Ruane, who last weekend was responding to widespread rumours that the town centre Ridgepool Hotel is to be converted into such a hostel.
Fine Gael’s Deputy Michael Ring has also attacked Government for the ‘secrecy’ in which the matter is shrouded.
Ms Ruane strongly criticised the fact that there was no notice given to the various service providers and support agencies of the recent transformation of the Ibis hotel in Galway – now called Lisbrook House – into a Direct Provision Hostel.
“If there is a new Direct Provision Centre opening in Ballina there must be community consent, the service providers must be informed so that they can prepare for the needs of those about to live in the hostel,” said Thérese Ruane.  
“All the secrecy feeds the fears of the local community who don’t understand what’s involved. Instead, the model used by the Department [of Justice] for programme refugees should be used,” she continued.
Meanwhile, Deputy Michael Ring confirmed to The Mayo News that he had been contacted by numerous constituents who expressed concern about the development.
“The Department of Justice, the Government and the owners of the property, should come out honestly and openly and tell the people of Ballina what is happening,” said Deputy Ring.
He observed that while County Mayo ‘has already a fair share of asylum seekers, it wasn’t being provided with a fair slice of the national cake, particularly infrastructure and jobs’. 
The Mayo News failed last Friday to elicit an answer from the Department of Justice as to whether it intends opening a Direct Provision Hostel for asylum seekers in the Ridgepool Hotel. This reporter also left a message for the owner of Bridgestock Ltd, Mr Michael Gillen, but had not received a reply at the time of going to press.
Bridgestock is now the biggest Direct Provision operator in the country, already running two centres in County Mayo – in Kiltimagh and Ballyhaunis – as well as the Bruach na hAbhainn Orientation and Training Centre in Ballyhaunis. It also owns and leases centres in Counties Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon and Westmeath and is the lessee of the new centre in Galway, Lisbrook House.
When the abovementioned property closed as a hotel (the Ibis) in August last, the Department of Justice denied rumours that it was set to become a Direct Provision Centre.
The Ridgepool Hotel, which is owned by the Dunne group, has been for sale for some time, with an asking price of €10 million. Mr John Hughes of selling agents CB Richard Ellis, confirmed to The Mayo News that the company was in ongoing negotiations with parties about the property.
“The guide price is still €10 million. But I can’t comment on who these parties are,” said Mr Dunne.