Arrival of refugees in Dromahair put on hold

The Leitrim Observer was told this week that the arrival of people seeking asylum to Dromahair village has been put on hold pending the resolution of a planning issue.
The Community Engagement Group (CEG) of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth had a meeting on Friday, (November 24) with Dromahair Concerned Citizens and their concerns will be relayed back to the Department of Integration.
This week, a statement from the Department of Integration said that Ireland can no longer provide accommodation to all asylum seekers due to a severe shortage of emergency housing.
“Despite intensive efforts to source emergency accommodation, the Department (of Integration) is currently not in a position to provide accommodation to all international protection applicants due to the severe shortage,” said the statement.
Tents and sleeping bags will be provided to people where required, added the department, which oversees asylum seeker accommodation.
Over 100,000 refugees and asylum seekers are currently being accommodated in Ireland, including around 74,000 Ukrainians who have fled the war there.
The Leitrim Observer was informed that they said: "No international protection applicants will be coming to Dromahair and that there were planning issues to be resolved.”
The Leitrim Observer was also advised that the group are to meet with the CET again in a couple of weeks.
The local group was assured that no people would be coming until the planning matter is resolved and they also will discuss the situation further with them, a source said.
The announcement comes after a crowd of hundreds gathered outside the Abbey Manor Hotel in Dromahair after news broke that 155 refugees are to be housed in the property, among them 31 single men.