A protest is taking place outside a hotel in Conamara, which has been proposed as a possible accommodation centre for International Protection applicants, reports RTE.
Local residents opposing the plan say they intend to maintain a continuous presence at the Carna Bay Hotel.
The property has been used to accommodate those escaping the war in Ukraine since 2022, reports RTE.
More recently, the hotel was offered to the Department of Integration for use as an IPAS accommodation facility.
The department has stated that the evaluation of this offer has been put on hold for three months to allow locals to propose a plan to develop a community hotel at the site.
A spokesperson confirmed that the assessment process would resume in June, reports RTE.
Despite ongoing speculation about the hotel’s future, elected officials have not received any formal notification from the department regarding plans to house asylum seekers there.
At a public meeting in the village earlier this month, residents voiced concerns about the availability of services in the rural area, which is situated approximately 80km west of Galway city, reports RTE.
Community representatives argue that the hotel plays a crucial role in the local economy and have expressed frustration over the level of communication they have received from officials in recent weeks.
Méadhbh Nà Ghaora, a member of the newly formed Grúpa GnÃomh Óstán Chuan Chárna, said a group of people gathered outside the hotel yesterday evening and would remain there until they received assurances regarding the building’s future use, reports RTE.
She stressed that the protest consisted of people from the local area who wanted to ensure that the village retained access to the essential services provided by the hotel.
Ms. NÃ Ghaora highlighted that several businesses relied on tourist accommodation in the region and also emphasized the need for a dedicated space where the community could gather and engage, reports RTE.
The department reaffirmed that the evaluation of the hotel remains on hold.
In a statement, it clarified that there was “no contract in place for accommodation for International Protection applicants at this site,” but that some individuals displaced by the war in Ukraine were still being housed there, reports RTE.
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