Tag Archives: Knockalisheen

THE book club in Miltown Malbay, which is made up of 12 women, met six weeks ago to discuss the possibility of doing something for asylum-seekers living in Direct Provision in Knocklisheen, Meelick. The group decided that, as some of them have Airbnb accommodation, they would offer families in Knockalisheen a two-night holiday in Miltown. Over the past few weeks, this plan has become a reality. “We meet with the families – made up of 76 individuals, including eight single women, mums, dads and children,” book club member Lorna Cahill explained. “Over half of the 76 people we met are children. We met them every Wednesday and, sometimes, twice weekly. The purpose of our meetings is to plan the holiday, with complete consultation, to get to know the families and build relationships and trust. This has proven extremely successful so far. “As families cannot cook for themselves in the centre, the main focus has been acquiring self-catering accommodation. We have …

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), along with ICMSA, this morning (Wednesday) mounted a protest at the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Knockalisheen, Meelick over the possible closure of the facility. The protest was scheduled to coincide with a trip to lab by a review group from the Department of Agriculture and was led by ICSA general secretary Eddie Punch and rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock. Speaking at the protest, the ICSA general secretary said, “This proposal makes no sense at all. The lab is a vital resource with helping farmers determine the cause of mortality and with helping them get on top of infectious diseases another animal health issues as soon as possible. Closing it down will have a huge detrimental effect on animal health and welfare. It will also hinder farmers efforts to be more efficient in reducing mortality. We had an exchange of views with the Department officials here and we will be having further discussions …

DONNAH Vuma has been living in the Knockalisheen Direct Provision Centre, Meelick since September 2014 and is nearing her third Christmas at the facility, which houses approximately 300 asylum seekers. The Zimbabwean woman lives there with her three children, aged 12, eight and six. The two youngest children attend Meelick National School, while the oldest is in first year at secondary school in Limerick. Donnah is not looking forward to Christmas. In fact, December 25 is one of her least enjoyable days. “I’d say it’s gloomier than any other day. Personally, there is nothing that I get the children. I don’t want to lie. For the two Christmases I’ve been here, I haven’t got them anything at all. But the centre does give them a Christmas present to the value of €50. They give them a catalogue to pick out something they want and they give them that on Christmas Day, with a box of chocolates. I can’t afford to …