Concern in Tralee over plans to accommodate more asylum-seekers

News of the plans were revealed by the Irish Independent this morning [Thursday] after they obtained details of a secret government memo. Cllr Locke said this is causing friction among many constituents in Tralee.

The Tralee-based representative said immigration is one of the main issues raised by people since the campaign started ahead of next week’s local elections.

He believes the government has got its immigration policy wrong by not informing local councillors of plans to relocate migrants to towns, which would help ease fears over pressure on services.

Ballymullen is already home to 60 Ukrainians. It’s expected they will be moved in order to accommodate the newest arrivals.

“The Government has got it wrong from the start with its open door policy that allows all nationalities to enter without knowing how it will cater for them,” Cllr Locke said.

“We now have people coming here in record numbers, including the recent flight of migrants from Britain. We can’t deal with it at local level. We, as councillors, have no power to blockade this. Our constituents are blaming us for not doing enough when we are not even being told what is happening,” he added.

Cllr Locke stressed that a time has come to assess the ability of towns to facilitate migrants. He is adamant this attitude in no way stems from discrimination, but rather the practicalities around services.

“I’m peeved at being excluded from the process. There is public outcry in Tralee this morning from what I’m hearing on the ground. Some people are looking for us to interject. We cannot do it. Our hands are tied by national policy…the facility at Ballymullen is not a proper facility to house people. There aren’t enough doctors to take more patients, our hospitals are overflowing,” he said.

“The anger is there. I’ve been on the streets since 9am canvassing and around 20 people have asked me ‘what is going on?’. The simple answer is we haven’t been informed,. We’re at the front line and we’re being left in the dark,” Cllr Locke said.

Ballymullen Barracks was prepared in 2022 for the arrival of Ukrainian refugees.

In the 1960s, Catholics fleeing south from violence in the north were housed there.

In the early 2000s, the barracks was also home to refugees arriving from Nigeria and Somalia.