Integration Minister To Meet Local Representatives Amid Protests At Tipperary Hotel

The Integration Minister has said that he will meet with local representatives from Roscrea, co Tipperary to discuss the recent protests over asylum seekers being moved into a local hotel.

This comes as up to 17 asylum seekers who are understood to be women and children were moved into the Racket Hall Hotel yesterday, which led to mass protests.

Fights broke out between protesters and gardaí, as the International Protection applicants were brought into the hotel premises. The garda public order unit were present at the hotel, as one man was reportedly arrested under the Public Order Act, before being later released. 

The protests continued overnight, with six people gathered around the gate of the hotel at 6am, sitting around fires, and wrapped around sleeping bags. 

Speaking today, Minister Roderic O'Gorman said that he intends to meet with local TDs, and representatives to see how the Government can respond to local concerns.

He said that families and female applicants will be housed in Racket Hall, as the Government intends to accommodate 160 people there. 

"I think the most effective thing I can do is meet with the TDs, meet with the local representatives, hear what are the resourcing challenges that the town is facing at the moment and see what I and Government colleagues can do to respond in a meaningful way," the Minister said.

The minister added that while he respects people's rights to protest, he believes that this can be done in way that it does not impact on vulnerable people.

He said, "My understanding is that people are now settling into the hotel but that some children were upset by the tension they witnessed last night". 

He also added that he feels many people are attempting to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment in the area.

"I don't think that it's ever acceptable to block vulnerable people from being able to access their accommodation", Mr O'Gorman insisted.