·        Cllr. Mulligan voiced concerns over the recent arrival of refugees to Ballaghaderreen. He said that of a total local population of over two thousand, 937 were foreign nationals as well as those who had recently arrived in the town. He emphasised that he and the community of Ballaghaderreen were not racist in any way. He was critical of the Government’s failure to provide extra services to accommodate the increased arrival of people to the town, claiming the town had only two doctors to deal with the new arrivals, which was the same level service as twenty years ago. He said local and outlying schools were bursting at the seams, and claimed it was wrong to place extra people in the town without providing extra local services. He also said there was also an absence of Garda numbers serving the town with resources being assigned from other areas.

·        Cllr. Callaghan agreed with Cllr. Mulligan’s comments and stated 112 people were recently relocated to the River Oaks housing estate in Ballaghaderreen. He said the absence of increased services was resulting in the burden being met by the local authority. The Councillor said there had been a lack of consultation with members and the local community and appealed for Minister of State Roderic O’Connor to visit Ballaghaderreen and see for himself the extent of the challenges that needed to be addressed.

·        Cllr. Byrne said it was not fair to place extra people in Ballaghaderreen without the provision of extra services and asked if the decision to relocate people was made solely on the availability of vacant houses in the town.

·        Cllr. Byrne requested an update on the reported closure of the Area Office in Ballaghanderreen

·        Cllr. Murphy said local communities are open to refugees coming to local towns but said people cannot be brought to areas without investment in communities and services and appealed for greater support from central government.

·        The Cathaoirleach said Ballaghaderreen had been inundated with refugees yet this has not been matched with an increased provision of services. He criticised what he said was a lack of consultation with the local community prior to the latest arrival of refugees to the town.

Acting Director of Services Fiona Ní Chuinn said Roscommon County Council had received an email from Minister O’Gorman’s Department on 8^th December concerning the provision of temporary accommodation in the River Oaks area of Ballaghaderreen for international Protection applicants – the same correspondence as was circulated to the Members. She confirmed Roscommon County Council had received no consultation prior to the notification being issued. The Council had raised concerns with the Department over the lack of provision of medical and education services. This is a Government response to I.P. applicants and the most recent allocation of refugees was to forty facilities in thirteen different counties, of which Ballaghaderreen was one such location.

The Chief Executive stated that nothing has changes with regard to the position of the Area Offices since the report was circulated last year to the members regarding the provision of the services in the Area offices.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Callaghan

SECONDED by Cllr. Cummins

It was AGREED to formally write to Minister Roderic O’Gorman requesting he visit Ballaghaderreen, meet the communities and meet the Council and outline what services will be provided in the town.