"We need to know what is happening so that we can prepare"

By Michelle Crean

Local groups are demanding that the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) and other agencies keep Killarney fully briefed on additional refugees or asylum seekers coming to the town.

Concern has been expressed by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and the Killarney Asylum Seekers Initiative (KASI) that essential wrap-around services, such as medical care and day-to-day community and supports, are already at snapping point and the town is struggling to cope with the demand.

According to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, currently there’s a total of 360 International Protection (IP) applicants residing in Hotel Killarney including single males, females and families, and a total number of 572 International Protection applicants living in Killarney.

“The people who are being accommodated are recent arrivals to Ireland who have made International Protection Applications,” the Department said in a reply to a Killarney Advertiser query, yesterday (Thursday).

They also said that they can’t give a clear answer how long they will be staying “having regard to the ongoing crisis in the numbers of IP applicants arriving and the scarcity of more appropriate accommodation”.

There are 1,304 Ukrainian women and children housed across Killarney.

Chamber President Niall Kelleher said the town was delighted to play its part when agreeing to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, fleeing from the terrors of war, but it is dreadful that the necessary follow-on support services required have not been put in place.

The Chamber said while Killarney has probably the highest ratio of refugees and asylum seekers per head of population in the entire country, there has been little or no communication from IPAS, Government departments or the non-governmental organisations charged with sourcing suitable accommodation.

“All too often, the first we hear of developments is when buses pull up outside accommodation centres with people on board. We need to know what is happening so that we can prepare and the only way to achieve that is through proper dialogue,” Mr Kelleher said.

GROWING CONCERN

The Chamber acknowledged that there is growing concern locally that the State agencies seeking to house refugees and asylum seekers are merely identifying available beds in Killarney – given its tourism base – but there seems to be very little thought going into providing the related professional services required, particularly access to medical services, school places and support systems.

“The lack of access to proper services is not fair on them, it is not fair on the service providers who are under strain and if the current trends continue, it can only lead to a complete systems failure,” Chamber stated.

KASI – which provides key support services to the asylum seekers and refugees – said it simply doesn’t have the staff or the space to cope with demand and there is a complete lack of communication from the agencies involved.

Chairperson Sheila Casey said people are queuing out on the street waiting to be seen but KASI has only four staff and very inadequate office space.

“We can’t cope with the situation, the health service can’t cope and the schools can’t cope with the huge demand.”

Nationally, from the beginning of 2022 to date, over 11,300 people have arrived in Ireland seeking protection. As of October 16, there are over 16,500 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation System (IPAS) as a whole compared with 7,250 people at this time last year. This figure is in addition to the arrival of almost 54,000 Ukrainian nationals of whom over 42,700 are currently seeking accommodation from the Department.

“The pressure on the State to accommodate over 58,000 people currently has led to significant shortages particularly for the international protection cohort,” the Department said.

“All of the limited accommodation capacity within the IPAS system is currently being used. Officials continue to seek accommodation solutions to the increasing numbers of IP arrivals.”

In terms of medical care, local GPs have said they can no longer accept new referrals to ensure they can provide a safe service to existing patients.