Pictured at Burzza, where €900 was raised for the Waterford People to People Refugee Emergency Group
The Department of Justice isn’t planning on resettling any refugees in Tramore, The Munster Express has learned.
In a brief statement issued on Tuesday of last week, a Department spokesperson stated: “There are no plans to resettle refugees in Tramore at present nor are we aware of any resettled refugees living in Tramore.
“There may be Syrian asylum seekers (who may eventually be granted refugee status) in Tramore however we would not make any comment on the nationality of any residents in our system.”
In a statement issued in late August, the Department confirmed that Tramore’s Atlantic House, which is home to direct provision asylum seekers, had undergone a ‘profile change’.
However, four families who wished to stay in the area were re-housed in the nearby Ocean View accommodation centre, having been previously addressed at Atlantic House.
The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA), which is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their “applications for protection are being processed”, said it monitors “its accommodation requirements on an ongoing basis”.
The Department spokesperson added: “RIA is currently reviewing its portfolio in response to the increased numbers arriving in the State, who are at this time, predominately single males originating from the Indian sub-continent (Pakistan and Bangladesh).”
“As a result of bed management re-organisation within our portfolio a decision was taken to re-profile the centre for single male occupancy. RIA re-profiled Atlantic House as suitable for single males. This does not change the contract already in place in any other way, which is for the accommodation of 65 persons.”
Meanwhile, City & County Mayor John Cummins believes that “citizens have been ahead of most European Governments on this; there has been an incredible outpouring of public support for those affected by this crisis”.
He added: “I think most of us with an eye on the news have well and truly woken up to the extent of this, and it’s a shame that it took the image of that poor boy on the beach to jolt decision makers into facing up to this in as co-ordinated a manner as possible. Sometimes, hard-hitting images can work – it’s just a pity that that’s what it takes.”
Mayor Cummins said he was pleased to learn that Waterford companies, including Eirgen, Joe McLoughlin Ltd, GlaxoSmithKline and Burzza Restaurant, have contributed in attempting to improve conditions at the Calais refugee camp.
“The people of Waterford have always demonstrated their generosity to worthy causes, be they local, national or international, and I’d like to offer my sincere thanks to all who have done what they can to provide some solace to the many desperate families hoping to make better lives for themselves in Europe.”
