LAST UPDATE | 21 Jul
TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS and Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald spoke this morning about the ongoing protests in Coolock in Dublin against plans to house up to 500 people seeking international protection in the area.
The Department of Integration has previously confirmed that the old Crown Paints factory in Coolock will be used to house the people.
However protests followed by scenes of violence broke out on Monday when a Government-contracted provider attempted to begin work on the site.
Some in the community have said that there has not been adequate engagement with the community on these plans, a point which McDonald reiterated today in a statement after the call with the Taoiseach.
Others, however, are against housing any people seeking international protection at the site, with some holding signs reading “get the out” and have painted barricades to the building with the words “get the smell bags out”.
At the first incident on Monday, The Journal witnessed many incidents of public destruction, racism and clashes between protestors and the gardaí.
In her statement, McDonald said: “I spoke with An Taoiseach this morning about the urgent need for engagement and dialogue with the community in Coolock.”
She called for an end to the violence scenes and for those responsible to be held to account. McDonald also condemned the scenes as “totally unacceptable” and said it was crucial that order be restored.
She added: “There is an urgent need for engagement and dialogue with the community in Coolock. This is crucial in a community which has been ignored and left behind time and again. People must be heard and responded to.”
McDonald said she believes the “lack of dialogue and failure to listen” to the community has driven anger and fear. “This can be fixed and must be addressed urgently.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris and justice minister Helen McEntee have this weekend both condemned the events which have taken place in Coolock over this week.
Speaking in Donegal on Friday, Harris said: “In relation to protest, anybody in Ireland is legitimately entitled to protest, it is a key tenet of our democracy and it is something I would always support the right that people have to protest.
“But I have to say what we have seen in recent days has not been that.
“What we have seen in recent days has been an attempt by a relatively small number of people to engage in lawlessness, to engage in thuggery and to engage in criminal activity,” he added.
McEntee said: “Sadly, a small minority of individuals are inciting violence and fear in an attempt to divide our communities.”
Dublin Fire Brigade last night responded to yet another fire at the Crown Paints factory. It is the third night in-a-row that firefighters have attended the area. The fire at the site was put out after two units responded with the garda public order unit.
Over 20 people have been charged and one other person has been arrested in relation to behaviour which took place at the many demonstrations in Coolock this week.
Last night, Dublin Central’s Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said on X, formerly Twitter, that those responsible for lighting the fire should be “brought to account”.
Gannon accused “those in charge of justice in this country” of allowing incidents like this to take place frequently. He also pointed to how the Dublin Fire Brigade had to again use their “vital resources” at the same location.
Dublin City Council Green Party Councillor Donna Cooney said on X: “This is terrible you [shouldn't] have to spend so much time dealing with arson attacks.”
“This is an attack on our communities and all of us that need our emergency services to be available for accidents. Not dealing with deliberate endangerment of people and place,” she added.
Yesterday, the McDonald called on the Government to “move beyond condemnation” and engage with residents on the issues they take with the site being used to house people seeking international protection.
“The rejection of racism and the need to welcome and integrate new people to Coolock is understood and supported. The need to have support, resources, and amenities to enable integration is absolutely vital,” she said in a letter to the Taoiseach.
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