LAST UPDATE | 23 May 2023

A CO CLARE man in his 70s was on his way home on Sunday evening when he was allegedly hit with an implement at the site of an anti-immigration protest, and had to be hospitalised as a result of his injuries. 

The protest in Scool, Corofin, Co Clare took place after it was organised via social media, in response to claims asylum seekers were going to be housed in the area.

These came about after a video was circulated online in which men toured a house containing multiple beds in each bedroom, claiming that it was going to house asylum seekers in the locality.

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman has ruled out the use of the property for asylum seekers, following claims that upwards of 40 asylum seekers were to be housed in Scool.

He said there had been “detailed misinformation” about the property being put into use. 

When asked on News at One about the claims, O’Gorman said:

“This is entirely as the result of misinformation that’s been circulated on social media – detailed misinformation, setting out indicative numbers, indicative genders.”

“We are not using the site that has been identified in Corofin. It’s never been offered to us and I suppose I can’t be clearer than that.”

Last night Gardaí told The Journal that they are investigating the incident that took place on Sunday night. 

“Gardaí are making enquiries into an alleged assault which occurred in Corofin, Co. Clare on Sunday night, 21st May 2023,” a spokesperson said. 

Theresa O’Donohoe of the Clare Solidarity Network, who lives nearby the site of the protest in Ennistymon, said that she has spoken to the man today, and that he is recovering from his injuries, and is now out of hospital. 

“He is a gentleman, I cannot believe this has happened to him. He was trying to get past protesters to go home, they were shining a light on him and recording him.

“Though he did recognise the person who attacked him, and there were some locals there, there were also people who he did not recognise and who were not local to the area. He is now going to be making a complaint to the Gardaí,” O’ Donohoe said. 

The activist said that she and others were aware the protest was taking place on Sunday evening, as a meeting was held at the same site on Saturday. 

“This is supposed to be in protest of asylum seekers moving into the area, based off of a social media video. I cannot verify that the house in the video is going to be used to house asylum seekers. 

“We have not had any news about that. If it is, there are questions to be raised about how the individuals who took the video got into the house in the first place,” she added. 

Speaking on Clare FM this morning, the Minister for Trade and Enterprise Simon Coveney responded to the suggestion made by an Independent local councillor, Gerry Flynn, that Co Clare is being unfairly burdened with the responsibility of providing emergency accommodation. 

“I’d need to see the numbers. What we are trying to do is make sure that those are being accommodated are being spread across the county as best we can. 

“The counties with the most hotels, and accommodation, often end up taking slightly more than other counties. 

“I don’t have the numbers in front of me now as to the numbers specifically Co Clare is taking, but this comes up in other counties, for example Co Kerry, where there is a big tourism industry,” he said. 

Coveney added that it is the “obligation of the Government to ensure that there is a spread across the country,”- speaking in reference to asylum seekers being housed in state provided accommodation.