Locals willing to give an Inch

n Inch residents amenable to smaller number of asylum seekers n Asylum seekers mean no-harm

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

INCH RESIDENTS have said they are committed to holding demonstrations for the “long-haul” following the arrival of 34 male asylum seekers to Magowna House this week.

Absence of public consultation has been sharply criticised with a memo from the Department of Integration only issued on the plans to house 69 male asylum seekers in Inch last week and within five days Magowna House welcomed its newest residents.

Locals have mounted blockades at Magowna Cross, Magowna House and Magowna Hill restricting access to the property which has been n Locals to protest for the long-haul n Inch blockade “wrong” - Taoiseach n 4 asylum seekers have already left closed since 2019.

Clare County Council in an assessment last year deemed that the premises was not suitable for accommodating Ukrainian families while the manager of the facility said they first began planning to use the facility for asylum seekers three months ago yet the local community only became aware of the intentions last week.

Minister for Integration, Roderic O’Gorman (GP) told a meeting of Clare Oireachtas members on Wednesday that the twelve month contract for Magowna House would not be rescinded.

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