Lisdoonvarna is about to become home to Ireland’s newest direct provision centre and not all local residents are happy with the plans. Reporter John Cooke visited the town and told Mary Wilson of Drivetime what he had learned about the situation.
About a week ago, it was announced that the King Thomond hotel will be home to an estimated 115 asylum seekers. Some residents told John that they were unhappy with the short notice given to them and concerned that the town, which has a population of between 200 and 300 people, will be unable to cope with an influx of over a hundred newcomers. One woman told John that there is the potential for restlessness and boredom in the town.
“We will welcome them if the right provisions are put in in the town for them. In our schools, in our doctors, in the creche. Lisdoonvarna’s a very boring place in the wintertime…what are they going to do?“
Another resident thinks the town’s location and limited public transport will hinder families that settle in the area.
“There’s nothing here for them. The people here have to go down to Ennis, they have to go to Galway, you know if they want to take their child out to the cinema or anything, it’s down to Ennis that they go…How are they going to get around?”
Kevin McNamara, a local B&B owner, is worried about the number.
“It’s probably between 200-300 residents in the village. They’re bringing in 115 asylum seekers. It’s a very large number that we can’t cope with…in the right circumstances they’re more than welcome.”
Resident John O’Donnell, who is relatively new to the village himself, thinks integration could be difficult.
“They deserve better than being placed in an isolated location with no amenities and a ratio of 3:1, which makes integration nigh on impossible.”
The name on everybody’s lips, John told Mary, is Marcus White of the White hotel group. He’s the man Lisdoonvarna locals are asking to stop this. When John spoke to him, Marcus said the decision to offer one of his hotels as a direct provision centre was one he took because he wanted to help. He doesn’t believe postponing the arrival of the asylum seekers is a realistic option.
“I was looking at the tv and I saw people in distress in Syria, refugees, asylum seekers and I decided that really it’s a good idea to try to help people in this world…It’s not one of these things that you can postpone. I think that people really have to rise above that and decide, look it, let’s give it a chance here.“
John put it to Marcus that the year-round occupancy of the King Thomond might also be an incentive for him, a financial one. Marcus disagreed with that interpretation.
“It is not my intention about the money. I have a family. I look at the Irish Times today and I see a little boy full of shrapnel…I’m only too delighted to be helping families and children who will be coming to this centre…We’re getting caught up here with money, money, money…They’re not just going to dump the people here and forget them.”
Listen back to the whole segment on Drivetime here.