The proposed transfer of six families, who have been granted asylum, from Borrisokane in Co Tipperary to Birr, Co Offaly will not go ahead.
The decision to proceed with their eviction from the Riverside accommodation complex in Borrisokane to emergency accommodation at a former nursing home in Birr has been paused.
It follows a major protest in the Tippeary town, attended by several hundred people last night, and months of intensive lobbying by the local community to allow them to stay.
Nineteen families have been living at the site in the Tipperary town since 2019.
They were granted asylum status to remain in Ireland, but lost their entitlement to continue living in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation and were informed earlier this year they were to be moved.
Six of the families were due to be moved today and the remainder in a staggered way - in the coming weeks and months - depending on when their asylum status had been granted.
They had been helped to integrate into the Borrisokane community as a result of the work of a local liaison committee which had also been lobbying with IPAS, Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman and Taoiseach Simon Harris to allow them to continue living there.
The committee also said that any move to transfer or evict the families from their accommodation was contrary to a written agreement drawn up with IPAS in 2019 that gave a commitment they could stay living there long term, once their status to remain in Ireland was finalised.
Many of the people affected were working in the locality and their children were attending the local primary school Scoil Mhuire and the second-level community school.
Over 30 of the children were in the primary school which was in danger of losing a teacher, and a special language teacher, should they be moved on.
Local Labour TD Alan Kelly said today that Mr O’Gorman had been in touch with him to confirm that the proposed transfer of six families from Borrisokane to Birr would not go ahead, adding that the department would redouble its efforts - working with Tipperary County Council - to find alternative accommodation for them in the Borrisokane area.
Deputy Kelly said: "I’m glad the minister and the Government saw sense on this matter and that any evictions of these residents will not now go ahead and they will work on soluctions to allow them to stay.
"The heavy-handed tactics treating these families and children in this way was never on and Borrisokane should be embraced as one of the best examples of integration in the country."
In a statement released to all Tipperary TDs, Mr O’Gorman said that his department is very mindful of the challenges that exist for people moving on from the International Protection system in accessing alternative accommodation in the community.
With this in mind, he said, the department will work with the remaining families at Riverside IPAS centre, Tipperary County Council and local community groups and representatives, to find suitable alternative accommodation for these families.
When this is found it is important the Riverside IPAS centre continues to be used to provide much needed accommodation for people seeking International Protection, the minister added.
