Clonmel modular homes site
Senator Ahearn describes tensions and violence at the Heywood Road site for modular homes in Clonmel and says better communication from the Department is needed to prevent serious injury.
I thank the Cathaoirleach. Unfortunately, Clonmel has been in the news in recent days regarding some incidents that have happened on a site on Heywood Road. This is a site that has been earmarked for 82 modular homes for Ukrainians. Unfortunately, someone who was working on that site was injured, hospitalised and stayed overnight. There have been a number of incidents there. Certainly, the view within Clonmel, from canvassing in the area and meeting locals, is there is huge frustration within the community. No one is condoning what happened or the actions of the people who were on the site and used violence. However, there is a huge level of frustration within the community of Clonmel. Ordinary, decent people are very concerned about what has happened. There has been a huge lack of communication between the Department - whether it is the HSE or the Department of integration - and the community. The council seems to have distanced itself from any decision-making on this. I am not sure whether that is the case but it certainly seems the council believes it has nothing to do with it, that it has to do with the Department and the HSE. There is a real lack of trust within the community in that area that this has been decided upon without any consultation. There is also fear that the only hotel within the town of Clonmel, Hearns Hotel, will be used. It has now been acknowledged, even though the new owners of that hotel denied it a couple of months ago, that it is in the process of being considered for accommodation for international protection applicants or asylum seekers. Clonmel feels as though this is all being done extremely quickly. I refer to these two sites being used, the only hotel in the town centre and the site on Heywood Road. The level of violence that has been seen there, I will be very brief-----
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-----but this is important to say because people on the ground know this. The level of violence that has happened has to be condemned but that will not stop. There is a community and there are neighbours there who are willing to do that and more, if things do not change. There needs to be better communication from the Department or someone will get seriously hurt.