A tender to provide a direct provision centre at the Connemara Gateway Hotel in Oughterard, Co Galway, has been withdrawn by the applicant. Speculation that the hotel was to be repurposed as a centre to house asylum seekers has led to a round-the-cl…
A tender to provide a direct provision centre at the Connemara Gateway Hotel in Oughterard, Co Galway, has been withdrawn by the applicant. Speculation that the hotel was to be repurposed as a centre to house asylum seekers has led to a round-the-clock protest by locals in recent weeks.
Tender applicant Sean Lyons Senior said this morning that he had decided to cease work at the site and was instructing contractors to remove their tools and equipment from the building. Mr Lyons was critical of the support he received from the Department of Justice in recent weeks. He told Galway Bay FM that there was absolutely no question of the proposed redevelopment of the hotel progressing.
The decision to withdraw the application has been welcomed by those involved in the protests outside the hotel. They have gathered in large numbers to celebrate the latest developments. They said they will end their demonstration outside the hotel and will work to remove all traces of their campaign from the location later today. They have reiterated a call for greater public consultation regarding direct provision and say communities in other parts of the country should follow their lead in voicing their concerns about the impact such centres can have on the infrastructure of rural areas.
Government Chief Whip and local Fine Gael TD Seán Kyne said he was pleased that the "saga" had come to an end. Minister Kyne said the process relating to the former hotel was now concluded. But he said lessons had to be learned from the events of recent weeks. In particular he said that a lack of public consultation and an absence of information from the Department had not served people well.
Fianna Fáil's justice spokesperson, Jim O'Callaghan, has said he would be concerned if a message is being sent out that direct provision centres can be stopped through protests. Mr O'Callaghan said he was "disappointed" with a decision to halt the proposed centre in Oughterard where the developer withdrew his tender following a series of protests.
"I think we have to be very careful that we don't allow a situation to develop whereby protest on one level and maybe lawlessness at a higher level can result in direct provision centres just not going ahead," he said.
"We have a responsibility to people who come to this country looking for international protection," he said.
"Tender over Oughterard direct provision centre withdrawn"
https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2019/1001/1079341-oughterard/
Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/bigtaboo/
