The Department of Integration has confirmed that the old Great Southern Hotel building in Rosslare Harbour is to be repurposed into accommodation for international protection applicants.
It was confirmed that approximately 170 refugees are set to arrive in Rosslare in the coming weeks, with sources indicating that this could increase to 400.
Local Councillor, Ger Carthy, highlighted his concerns when speaking to South East Radio about the lack of services in the area, with a shortage of Gardai, GPs and school places:
“There is no fairness, there is no equity. Its not coming from the Department. The people of Rosslare are expected again to put their shoulder to the wheel. They have integrated and welcomed in over 300 people in the last number of years. They have been welcomed into the community that’s a third of the current settled population in the area and they cant take any more.”
Mr. Carthy went on to say that there has been no engagement or communication with the community despite claims from the Minister that an Engagement Team has been in touch with those in the area.
Having been told initially that a 90 bed nursing home would be developed on the site back in June 2021, the general consensus amongst locals is that this latest announcement from the Department of Integration is a disappointment.
Residents Group Chair, Bernie Mullen, says that there are currently no nursing homes in the Rosslare district and it is something that the area had been crying out for:
“The loss of this nursing home is a huge problem. We are an ageing population and we all have someone in our family that needs the facility. We were promised a nursing home so that is a big issue.”
Ms. Mullen reiterated the point that there is a serious lack of facilities already in Rosslare:
“I think that its grossly unfair, wrong and dangerous to be talking these steps to putting up to 400 people into a village that doesn’t have enough services as it is. We have one Guard, one GP, the school is bursting to capacity and we have no school busses. The community centre isn’t big enough.”
