Community ‘at boiling point’ – Cllr Fitzpatrick

The potential use of the White Horse Hotel to house refugees came under fire at this week’s meeting of Cavan County Council.

The debate arose on foot of a letter to the council from a group known as ‘Concerned Community of Cootehill’ who are worried about the potential impact of letting “unvetted” people into their community among other issues; although the relevant Department has said the property is being considered for ‘those fleeing the war in Ukraine’.

Speaking about the letter during Monday afternoon’s Council meeting, Cllr Aiden Fitzpatrick expressed his disappointment at the lack of response from government regarding a request by the council to hold a public consultation with the people of Cootehill regarding issues.

“They won’t even address the council,” he said. “Cootehill is at boiling point.”

He outlined that protests are taking place “every Sunday” outside the White Horse Hotel, estimating that around 20 demonstrations have taken place so far.

Summarising the contents of the letter, Cllr Fitzpatrick said “they are not racist”.

“If the White Horse Hotel became a direct provision centre, I would be fearful of what would happen. It’s shrouded in secrecy.”

Fine Gael’s Carmel Brady agreed.

“Our hands are tied. We don’t know what’s happening. We can’t get an answer and nobody is willing to talk to us,” she said.

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Cllr Sarah O’Reilly referred to a case in Sligo where a “man from Pakistan” was given asylum in Ireland and “raped one woman and attempted to rape another woman”.

She said that, while it’s compulsory for all foreign nationals arriving into the country to “have their prints checked”, she does not believe this is always the case.

“They’re not doing it, they’re not checking,” she contended.

The Aontú representative also stated she “wouldn’t like to be in Carmel or Aidan’s shoes” as the lack of response from the government is “making them look foolish”.

“They are the people elected by the people to look after the area.”

Cllr TP O’Reilly was also supportive.

The letter, which is headed ‘Concerns Regarding Planned Use of the White Horse Hotel’ stated: ‘Our small community has recently been faced with a decision that has raised alarm and generated serious safety concerns.’

The authors say ‘the lack of consultation has left us feeling unheard and disregarded. It is crucial that decisions of this magnitude are made with the input and involvement of the community they directly impact.’

The group believe each individual should undergo garda vetting to ensure they do not “pose a threat” to the community. They are concerned about letting “undocumented and unvetted males” into the community.

‘By advocating for a strict vetting process, we aim to strike a balance between compassion and security.’

The letter also expressed concern about pressure on schools, healthcare and other services in the town if faced with a sudden increase in population. The group referred to a three-week waiting time for blood tests, for example.

The letter continued: ‘We urge the authorities to allocate sufficient resources to our community, ensuring that our schools and healthcare facilities can cope with the demands of a growing population. Failure to address these concerns could have a detrimental impact on the well-being of our community as a whole.’

They insist they are not racisit and their concerns are genuine.

‘It is crucial to understand that our intentions are not driven by prejudice or discrimination. We value diversity and recognise the contributions that individuals from different backgrounds bring to our community.

‘Our concerns are rooted in the desire to create a safe and thriving environment for all residents of Cootehill,’ reads the letter.

They are asking for “open dialogue” between the appropriate authorities and the people of Cootehill, to “find alternative solutions”.

The letter also asked six questions including the number of refugees, their country of origin, the ratio of genders and whether any convictions would be made known to those in the area.

The letter referred to a statement from the Department of Integration to the Celt that the Department it is considering the property, on foot of an application by its owners, for ‘Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) that is those fleeing the war in Ukraine’.

No official confirmation

But the letter added that no official confirmation has been received that the refugees will be exclusively Ukrainian.

‘If these questions cannot be answered by local representatives, we will require a meeting with Roderic O’Gorman in person to discuss our concerns and receive answers to our questions,’ concluded the letter.

It was signed in the names of Garry Cosgrove, Loretta Dempsey, Martin Hess, Francis Hughes, Sean Hughes, Padraig McCaffrey, Adrian McCann and Elaine Nolan.

The councillors agreed to write again to the relevant Government departments including the Minister for Justice to seek consultation on the matter.

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