'False' letter about IPAS centre sent to Leitrim residents was circulated 'to fire people up'

A Leitrim councillor has spoken out after a letter was circulated to Drumshanbo residents stating that it was proposed that Doherty's Hall was to be converted into accommodation for "protected persons". 

Cllr Enda McGloin contacted a number of government bodies and public representatives in relation to the letter and following these investigations, he told the Leitrim Observer that the contents of the leaflet appear to be inaccurate. 

The letter said that a Section 5 planning exemption was lodged with Leitrim County Council in February of last year to change the use of Drumshanbo Hostel, Church Street to "use as accommodation for protected persons". 

Cllr Enda McGloin said that he received a copy of the letter himself and was contacted by a number of residents in relation to it. "There are a number of inaccuracies in the document and I think anyone who is prepared to write this essay and then doesn't put their name, there's a flaw straightaway."

He said the author of the document was "trying to do one thing and one thing only and that's fire up people and create concern and it shows a level of cowardice of behalf of those individuals. If they felt strongly about it, they should have at least signed their name for any subsequent questions that people would have."

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The letter, which the author described as a "community awareness leaflet", stated that "women and children from broken homes, homeless or asylum seekers" would be moved in and then "moved out and replaced with grown men seeking refuge status in the country" and the "end game is make the premises into a fully operational IPAS centre" and it could lead to a "large IPAS centre at the Lough Rynn Hotel."

It went on to state that the premises is "being renovated/cleared out awaiting a response from Leitrim County Council" and that "once the first bed goes into this building, you have lost the opportunity to raise your concerns and you will have no voice as to the people moving into your community."

Cllr McGloin said that the document was "all speculative, conjecture and hearsay; there's no concrete proof or follow-up or proper investigation."

Cllr McGloin stated that he was informed by the council's Chief Planner that a "Section 5 application on that premises has been withdrawn so to suggest that there is going to be a Section 5 application is false."

Mr McGloin said he also contacted Minister Colm Brophy's office (Minister of State for Migration) and "they've indicated strongly to me that they've no interest at this point in time in acquiring any further premises that would provide accommodation for IPAS and the government policy now about the Department of Justice providing their own accommodation for those people seeking international protection. They have no interest presently in seeking accommodation in Leitrim and there are no active negotiations with any person within the county. The person who owns the premises, who I understand also has an IPAS in Roscommon; if he seeks to defer people from that premises down to Drumshanbo then he'll have to face Leitrim County Council who are monitoring the situation and have been in touch with him. Any development in that hal will have to meeting all the building requirements and also comply with planning. So if there is any attempt to use this premises for anything other than what it has planning for, then Leitrim County Council will issue enforcement orders on the matter."

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Cllr McGloin said that the owner of the hotel has "stated publicly that he is actively seeking to refurbish the hotel and it would reopen at some stage as a hotel business. I'm dealing in facts and other individuals are dealing in hearsay and conjecture. The people of Drumshanbo are obviously wary of a proposal like this, as any other community would be, and prefer that there would not such a development in their town and locality and I understand that. I will do my best to ensure that the situation is monitored."

McGloin concluded that any owner of a premises can seek a Section 5 "but as it stands right now, all I comment on are the facts as I know them to be and I'm prepared to stand over them. That is the work I've done and investigations I've conducted on behalf of people who have contacted me and expressed their concern."