SINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald has defended a letter by one of the party’s TDs that warned of a risk of conflict between Ukrainian refugees and locals in south Kilare if the community did not receive support.
Kildare South TD Patricia Ryan wrote to constituents last month to advise them that modular homes were being developed in the area to house refugees who fled the war in Ukraine.
Ryan said that the site locations were “far from ideal” and were in areas with very significant social housing needs and homelessness rates, as well as pressure on health and education services.
“There is a concern that growing levels of homelessness and pending evictions in the areas where the modular units are being proposed could generate conflict. To avoid this the Department of Housing must accelerate social housing provision, including high grade modular homes,” Ryan wrote.
There is a concern that once in place there will be little by way of resourcing of community organisations in the area to assist in fostering good community relations and integrating the refugees into the wider community.
The TD added: “If this process is not managed right and the views of locally based representatives are not listened to, the potential for significant conflict with host communities is significant, which in turn could be exploited by small far-right elements.”
Party leader Mary Lou McDonald said today that Ryan was trying to prevent a ‘them versus us’ mentality as new people join the community.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland, McDonald said that there are concerns “in communities where there is a particular shortage of housing and communities where there are particular gaps in service provision”.
“I know what Patricia is addressing is the need to avoid a ‘them and us’. Let me be very clear, the lack of housing, no Ukrainian or Afghani or Syrian is responsible for that. Government is responsible for that, and similarly, for lack of services,” McDonald said.
“The reality is that there is potential for conflict on this point unless we have a radical change in terms of housing policy and a change in terms of investment in communities. That’s an open secret. I do not want that to happen.”
McDonald said there should not be a limit on the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine that Ireland protects.
“You can’t limit numbers when people are seeking asylum and fleeing for their lives, of course you have an obligation to afford international protection. We all know that,” she said.
“But what we also know is that we have a scenario for many because of many years of bad policy where we have a housing crisis and I think the only transparent way and respectful way for all concerned is for us to name that and for us to manage and navigate that.
“Certainly, in terms of the communities that Patricia represents, that certainly is what she was aiming to do so that there is a civil, civilised conversation so there’s an understanding everywhere that the newcomers to our shores, people fleeing war and running for their lives with their children, are certainly not the people to be blamed or have fingers pointed at them because of shortfalls in government policy and planning.”
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that at least 47,962 Personal Public Service (PPS) numbers have been issued to individuals from Ukraine under the Temporary Protection Directive.
Last week, around 200 asylum seekers were left without accommodation in Ireland due to “lack of availability”.
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