The Bishop of Kerry was among those who got involved to try and stop the relocation of Ukrainian refugees from Killarney to Mayo last Autumn at 48 hours’ notice.
135 Ukrainian refugees, who were housed in Hotel Killarney last Autumn, were given two days’ notice that they would be relocated to Westport to make room for 200 international protection applicants.
The body in charge of accommodating asylum seekers eventually reversed the decision, after two days of significant pressure publicly and privately.
On Wednesday, October 12th, that Cathaoirleach of the Killarney Municipal District, councillor Niall Kelleher, told Ukrainian refugees that they would not be moved up to Mayo.
These refugees had been due to relocate that morning, after just 48 hours’ notice from IPAS.
The reversal of this decision followed two days of public and private pressure on Minister for Integration, Roderic O’Gorman.
Records released to Radio Kerry under FOI show that during that 48-hour-period from Monday to Wednesday, the Minister’s office was contacted by KASI, the Killarney Immigrant Support Centre, who outlined the distress among Ukrainian families with the move to Mayo at such short notice, with many of their children in local schools.
An email sent from the Minister on the Tuesday morning shows Minister Norma Foley had contacted him twice to say her office was swamped overnight and that morning with people angry about the movement of these Ukrainians.
Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin, Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly, and Fianna Fáil councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald also wrote to the Minister within this two-day window to ask him to reverse the decision.
Also among those to directly contact Minister O’Gorman was Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne, who wrote he was shocked and saddened to hear the refugees were being transferred to Mayo, and pleaded with the Minister to allow them to stay in Killarney.
IPAS confirmed on the Wednesday morning that the Ukrainians would stay in alternative accommodation in Killarney, and Hotel Killarney began operating as a direct provision centre.
An alleged incident of violent disorder at the hotel on New Year’s Night led to eight asylum seekers being charged with public order offences – matters which are still before the courts.
The hotel’s contract with the state has now ended and it’s back to taking bookings from tourists.
