ALMOST exactly a year after the first protests against it, the Government has announced that will not proceed with development of accommodation for International Protection Applicants at Unit 153 in the Shannon Business Park.
The decision was confirmed to Clare TD McNamara this afternoon by Joe O’Brien TD, Minister of State for Integration today.
With numerous protests against the accommodation of refugees in various parts of the country, there is likely to be significant relief in Shannon that a potentially serious flashpoint has been avoided.
In January of last year a public meeting about the use in the Town Park was attended by about 200 people, amid significant tension between those of opposing viewpoints.
While there were some in favour of the development, a majority were not with claims that Shannon’s resources were already strained, particularly with the arrival of a large number of refugees to the town in 2022. There were also claims that housing people in an industrial estate was very unsuitable.
The entire saga was marked by a dearth of information being provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, with even Clare TDs complaining that they found it very difficult to get even basic information on plans.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.