Police are looking into a suspected case of deliberate fire-setting at a residential place in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, that was under consideration as a residence for individuals seeking global asylum. The blaze at Trudder House was dealt with by fire services during the early hours of a Saturday morning, as stated by the Police Press Bureau.
“Law enforcement are probing probable fire-related criminal damage that took place in the wee hours of Saturday 13th, April 2024, at a dwelling in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow.”
A professional examination of the location has been performed and inquiries are still being made, the statement also mentioned.
A pigment of the Department of Integration, they had plans to set up twenty tents each with an eight-person capacity at the previous health service premise to provide refuge for individuals under the process of international protection. There were known local demonstrations against the plan for the facility, also known as River Lodge.
This incident of fire at the edge of Newtownmountkennedy marks another one in a string of similar incidents at locations designated for refugee accommodation.