‘Get an injunction against protestors’
Developer and Justice off icials exchanged numerous emails as direct provision demonstrations escalated
ON September 14 more than 1,000 people protested against the Connemara Gateway Hotel in Oughterard being used to house asylum seekers.
Locals had heard rumours that a direct provision centre was going to be constructed within the hotel, without any local consultation, as construction work began on what had been an idle property.
Even as the thousand-strong group of protesters gathered outside the hotel the Department of Justice continued to say that consultation could only begin following an ‘evaluation process’ and after contracts were signed with the developer.
The MoS has obtained emails that span from September 14 to September 19 and detail communications with the developer at the centre of the project, Seán Lyons, whose company Fazyard runs three other direct provision centres around the country.
In the emails, Mr Lyons expressed his concern that contractors he hired and who were being blocked from entering the site would move on to another job due to the delay. The emails also show that the Department of Justice liaised with gardaí on behalf of Mr Lyons, who advised him to get ‘an injunction’ against protesters.
However, Mr Lyons’s own legal advice suggested this would be futile as he didn’t know the names of all of the protesters, which would be required.
At 9.15am on September 14, a Department of Justice official writes to Det Supt Frank Walsh, National Liaison and Protection Unit – ‘There is a group of 40-50 people protesting outside… He is very concerned that damage will be done to his premises… I understand the members of the AGS have attended the hotel this morning but were of the view that they can’t intervene as the protest is on a public road. The contractor is asking if it’s lawful for the protesters to prevent his staff gaining access to his property?
‘The contractor is making efforts to speak to gardaí locally but this is proving difficult.’
The same official updates Assistant Secretary General Oonagh Buckley, as well as Assistant Secretary
General Ben Ryan, who he asks if there is another channel to contact gardaí on.
Mr Lyons contacts the same official in the Department of Justice later that evening to say protesters are still outside and that he has engaged a security consultant who was present at the protest and advised to ‘let the protest play out rather than to try gain entry’.
On September 16, at 8.44am, Ms Buckley emails seven of her staff indicating that it is time to work on ‘messaging’ for locals and possibly to involve the Minister.
An email from 7pm that night shows that officials within the Department of Justice ‘discussed the advantages of entering a contract in the short term, enabling us to formally engage with the community’, but ultimately the decision wasn’t acted on and the developer ultimately pulled out of the project. The email also notes that: ‘A crowd has remained at the site throughout the day and is expected to remain overnight… Gardaí have indicated that they will not have the manpower to manage the some 150-200 people who are reported to be planning to be at the location tomorrow morning… Gardaí suggested applying for an injunction, with Mr Lyons concerned the contractors will move on to another job due to the delays.’
Two hours later Ms Buckley emails the official monitoring the situation to say she spoke with the Secretary General of the Department of Justice, Aidan O’Driscoll, following a call from the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan.
A further briefing from a different Department of Justice official at 8.24am on September 19 reports: ‘...Seán is frustrated with local policing, who he feels has allowed the protesters to blockade the site... He feels that the matter is becoming
‘He is concerned that damage will be done’
so serious it needs to be escalated to the Garda Commissioner..’
Local councillor Thomas Welby told the MoS: ‘I would be shocked that contact with high-level officials would be taking place with a potential developer whereas representatives of local communities were kept completely in the dark under the guise of confidentiality.’
A spokesman for the Department of Justice said: ‘The Department receives proposals from owners and service providers with properties in communities throughout the country. Each proposal received is examined for suitability and may require ongoing engagement with the proposer.’
‘Seán is frustrated with local policing’