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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Carnew IPAS centre

Summary

Deputy Ó Súilleabháin objected to plans for an IPAS centre in Carnew, saying there had been no local consultation and the town lacks services. The Tánaiste said communities should be informed, praised Wicklow’s welcome to migrants, and said he would ask the Minister for migration to provide details.

As a County Wicklow man, the Tánaiste will be very familiar with the small, rural town of Carnew. This town is somewhat isolated, lacks basic facilities and services and has insufficient public transport. This week, local people were alarmed to learn that an investment fund, Quest Retirement Solutions, is applying to install an international protection accommodation services, IPAS, centre to accommodate 44 persons, who are usually young males, in a public house on Carnew's main street. Needless to say, as usual, there has been no local consultation on this. County Wicklow is already accommodating more than 1,500 IPAS applicants. Has an impact assessment been conducted to evaluate the effects of imposing yet another IPAS on a local community in County Wicklow? Will the Tánaiste intervene in this matter?

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Simon Harris The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I thank the Deputy. I do indeed know Carnew well as I represented it until the Electoral Commission took it off me. I am sure it is well represented now. Regarding IPAS centres, I am not familiar with that one. It is always important that communities are informed. However, I am also very proud to live in a county that has welcomed so many people from migrant communities and people seeking international protection. Communities across County Wicklow have done that. The flow of information with communities is important and I will ask the Minister with responsibility for migration to provide the Deputy with an update regarding the issue he has raised.

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