John Moran, Limerick’s Mayor, expressed apprehensions about the suggested asylum seeker’s accommodation centre in the city and stressed the need to be involved in the discussions regarding these plans. Information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act indicates that Mr Moran reached out to the Integration Minister, Roderic O’Gorman, to discuss these worries in July.
Serving as Ireland’s first directly elected mayor, Moran was chosen for the role by the population of Limerick in June. In his correspondences to Minister O’Gorman, Moran referred to Section 35 of the legislation that establishes the role of directly elected mayor, permitting him to request a discussion on ministry policies that he anticipates will affect Limerick.
On the 5th of July, Moran sent a letter to O’Gorman regarding the government’s plan for accommodating international asylum seekers, stating his understanding that the department intended to utilise several large properties in Limerick for this purpose. “It’s vital to pinpoint areas where we need to boost additional assistance to already strained services at the local level,” he said.
Moran requested the chance to provide input on the underlying principles of these plans, and to discuss if there might be better ways to manage them for Limerick. He proposed a meeting with O’Gorman to be scheduled when he was in Dublin on the 9th of July.
In a follow-up letter on the 10th of July, Moran underlined the need for urgent action on the Section 35 query. He mentioned the upcoming accommodation centre at River House on Charlotte’s Quay, insisting that discussion was essential for maintaining social harmony in response to the concept. He added that the lack of dialogue with locals in areas around the planned development was leading to resentment. The matter, according to Moran, was so crucial that he brought it up in his first meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris.
Mr O’Gorman’s office was sought by another individual for vital communication to discuss certain matters. In recent times, Mr Moran and Mr O’Gorman have reportedly held a meeting, as disclosed by the Department of Integration. Their primary role, as stated, is to collaborate with different communities across Ireland, aiming to find and deliver lodging for international protection applicants, as mandated by the Irish and EU law. Also, it is a humanitarian duty to assist those escaping from war and persecution.
Mr O’Gorman and Mr Moran addressed numerous issues in their meeting, including the reported lack of appropriate housing for international protection applicants. Additionally, they deliberated on the government’s execution of a Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy intended to tackle these issues and establish a lasting solution.
Presently, the department is bringing into operation two locations in Limerick city. One is at Ballysimon, for which a contract has been already secured, and the other is located at Charlotte’s Quay, currently under evaluation by the department.