Council needs 20 units to resettle 100 refugees here

THE County Council is looking to buy or lease up to 20 properties in either Sligo town or county to accommodate up to 20 refugee families.

Sligo will provide safe haven to approximately 100 refugees this year as part of Ireland’s response to the Migration Crisis.

Cllr Joe Queenan said: “There’s mixed feelings here, let’s be honest. We’ve all see the photos of the little boy on the beach. But we need the back up. I wish Bartley well. This is a sensitive area.”

He queried if the refugees could “jump” the queue for a Local Authority house ahead of someone waiting a long time for a house.

“I don’t want to be negative but how are you going to deal with the community?” he asked.

Council official Joe Murphy said the refugees could be housed in Sligo, Ballymote, Grange, Enniscrone, Collooney and other areas.

“They won’t have private transport. Generally we’ll be trying to buy houses or take on long term leases - if there are landlords with properties in these areas we would be interested in having a look,” he told the Council meeting last week.

Mr Gavin said “we will possibly have 20 families that will take up 20 houses.”

Council Executive Ciarán Hayes said they appreciated the sensitivities and was aware of issues “that could be raised by people waiting a long time on the list” but was also aware of “the tragedy that has given rise to this demand.”

“They are destitute and have come from wartorn areas. They have had a life experience that no one should really have,” he said.

Cllr Sinead Maguire welcomed the news: “We’ve all be shocked and saddened by what we’ve seen on TV, families being ripped apart. The onus is on us to help. I would hope our community will rise up and help these people. They will improve our community,” she said.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Huberty Keaney welcomed the report and said he hoped the Government would support the Council in the “huge amount of work” it would require. “There’s no point welcoming refugees without the proper resources put in place,” he said.

Cllr Keaney said it was “up to politicians to show leadership over the next couple of months.”

The refugees are likely to arrive in Sligo in two tranches over the current year, according to Acting Director of Services Bartley Gavin.

He is Chair of an Inter- agency Working Group set up locally to manage the Resettlement Programme here.

It includes managers from Tusla, the Department of Social Protection, County Childcare Committee, Mayo/ Sligo/ Leitrim Education Training Board, An Garda Síochána, the HSE and the County Council.