Asylum seekers bound for Kenmare

UP to 80 asylum seekers will arrive in Kenmare in the next two weeks, the Department of Justice has confirmed.

The Atlantic Lodge Hotel in Kenmare, which is located on the outskirts of the town, has been identified as a new accommodation centre for the asylum seekers.

It is not known if the new asylum seekers will be male or female but it is understood that they are asylum seekers without families, The Kerryman has learned.

The centre, which has been closed for almost 15 years, is now to reopen to house asylum seekers seeking international protection in Ireland.

The new centre is to be operated by Millstreet Equestrian Services, who already operate a similar centre in Killarney.

The Atlantic Lodge will be one of six direct provision centres in Kerry housing asylum seekers.

In the most recent published report from the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) responsible for housing asylum seekers, there were 250 asylum seekers in Kerry as of the end of 2016.

The five existing Direct Provision Centres include three in Killarney – Park Road, Atlas House and Linden House and two in Tralee – the Johnston Marina and Atlas House Tralee.

Linden House was at the centre of controversy last year when asylum seekers arrived to the venue without any official notification to the community.

The Department of Justice refused to confirm the exact numbers coming to Kenmare but said the centre has a capacity of 80.

The contract for the centre is for one year, according to the Department of Justice.