O’Brien hits out at immigration ‘fake news’

A COUNTY councillor has criticised ‘skullduggery’ and ‘fake news’ from social media accounts calling on people to ‘keep pressure’ on local representatives on the issue of immigration.

Without referring to any specific incidents or accounts, Cllr Patsy O’Brien said that social media accounts were putting out ‘fake news’ in relation to immigration.

“There was quite a lot of speeches over the weekend saying, ‘get them out’, vote for anyone except the sitting councillors.” I think that’s very unfair and it’s very unreal,” said Cllr O’Brien.

The Independent councillor, who spoke at a demonstration against the proposed accommodation of 50 male asylum seekers at a hotel in Ballinrobe, said that it was ‘up to the people to decide who they want to represent them’.

“I am strongly saying I deplore the fake news that’s being put out and I deplore the way that they’re treating democracy,” he said, before claiming a number of county councillors had been ‘witch-hunted’ into retirement recently.

“I have seen two fine councillors leave this week, and I know from one of them, the amount of pressure these people have come under…That’s not democracy,” he said.

“Let them put all the pressure they want,” he added. “If they think that’s going to change the likes of us, especially for myself, that doesn’t change me. I’ll be the same tomorrow as I am today.”

Cllr Richard Finn said that ‘fake news’ had been spread regarding the housing of migrants in various areas.

The Claremorris-based councillor said that local representatives had supported local people when concerns were expressed about modular houses in the Claremorris area.

Castlemacgarrett, a large property located outside the town, is set to undergo a lengthy refurbishment but will not be accommodating modular housing for refugees, according to a statement from the owners.

Cllr Finn previously threatened to lie in front of machinery to stop the construction of modular houses for Ukrainian refugees on the Ballyhaunis Road.

A 28-unit modular housing development opened at the OPW site last August after construction began in late 2022.

“I’m not going to be intimidated by anybody. I don’t care who they are,” said Cllr Finn, who added that councillors who expressed concerns about migration were ‘not racist’.

“We welcome Ukrainian people into this county, no problem. We have the loveliest of Lithuanians, Polish, Latvians…but there are people coming into this country, who have no passport, who are allowed in…and that’s where the fears are coming from.”

Cllr Damien Ryan agreed with his fellow councillors’ remarks regarding ‘misinformation’ and repeated his call for the government to publish a national strategy on the accommodation of refugees and asylum seekers.