Refugee centres planned in Limerick villages

THERE are plans for two more buildings in rural Limerick to be opened up to people fleeing conflict.

The former Thomond House pub in Galbally is poised to welcome the first 11 of a possible 36 occupants.

And, in the village of Tournafulla, government has confirmed it is assessing an application to convert a former nursing home into a refugee centre.

It comes after the sale of the property near the village’s community garden. It is a move which will also see the community grocery forced to find new premises.

READ MORE: Sporty Spice Mel C visits Limerick

Local councillor Michael Collins has expressed concern over the proposal, saying: “the community is already stretched as it is for services”.

“People are very concerned they won’t be able to facilitate this. There has been no engagement,” he added.

It’s unclear how many international protection applicants the former nursing home in the village will be able to accommodate.

Sources have indicated it could be up to 30 people, but an inspection of the building from 2011, when it still operated as a nursing home, revealed there were 10 occupants at that time, with one room vacant.

“Our concerns around the proposed accommodation lie squarely around the lack of services and amenities in the village,” said Cllr Collins.

He said Tournafulla has just 204 residents, according to the most recent census.

Cllr Collins said the West Limerick village would be “considered a rurally disadvantaged area”.

“Due to the location of the village, there is little through traffic in Tournafulla as it is off any main road and not a place that needs to be passed through in order to get to any destination,” he said.

No taxi service is available in the village, he added, saying there is also no scheduled bus service, with the nearest stop over six kilometres away.

“As a community of course, we are considering the implications for the people already living in our village, but we must also consider the welfare of those placed here. Being placed in such a remote area from an integration perspective will be difficult for them in terms of perhaps learning a language or meeting people. They may not have the means to travel to the services they require, be they medical, educational or otherwise,” Cllr Collins added.

Across in south-east Limerick at Galbally, the local authority has confirmed in a briefing note to council members that the former Thomond House pub is awaiting its final paperwork from government to provide accommodation to Ukrainian refugees.

The first three families in the building will be relocated from another accommodation centre in Limerick.

The news the old pub is being converted was revealed first by the Leader back in March.

John Lannon, the chief executive of migrant rights charity Doras said: “There is no need for communities to be fearful of asylum seekers arriving to live in a centre. They are just like the rest of us, but with one difference: they have had to leave their homes and their countries to find safety and protection. They just want to get on with their lives, start working or continue their education. They just want to bring their families up in a safe environment.”