Protest to take place in Carlow over housing international protection applicants
Sarah Slater
A protest march is to take place on Saturday over the housing of International Protection Applicants in a former Capuchin Friary and St Brigid’s maternity hospital in Carlow town.
Despite ongoing protests outside both premises on Dublin St over the housing of asylum seekers 14 people moved into the former friary 12 days ago under garda escort.
The friary will be able to accommodate 50 people while St Brigid’s can take up to 100 people.
The 24-hour protests are now into their third week and the organisers, Carlow Says No, have organised the march to be held at 1pm at the Liberty Tree in the town centre.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “To date, Carlow Says No has maintained an extremely high standard of orderliness and discipline.
"This is thanks largely due to the quality of the people who have attended and maintained the protest.”
The organisation spokesperson said their “team has constantly set a high standard of discourse" and behaviour and that will continue. The spokesperson added that they will continue to “lead the way in Carlow” in the fight against what they termed “the plantation”.
In a U-turn two weeks ago, the Department decided to accommodate several families instead of 50 men, which had been planned in the former friary.
Sources explained that up to seven families will be accommodated in some of the 15 rooms with four beds per room. There are a minimum of two members of staff present on site at all times, including a manager, duty manager and security. There is also CCTV in place.
The majority of the IPA arrivals will be accommodated at the former friary for a year.
A cohort of the people to be housed in St Brigid’s are expected to arrive in the coming days.
A Department spokesperson said that all people seeking refuge in Ireland are entitled to privacy. “Persons that make an application are doing so on the basis that they are being persecuted or discriminated against in their country of origin.
“This right to confidentiality is protected under the International Protection Act 2015, and attempts to identify IP applicants is not simply a contravention of this legal right, but may place those seeking refuge at significant risk, particularly in light of recent events.”
Meanwhile, an Ireland Says No National protest is to go ahead on Bank Holiday Monday, February 5th at 2pm, commencing at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin.
