Roscrea protests: Gardaí examine warning that hotel at centre of standoff over asylum seeker housing could be burned

Gardaí are examining a warning that the hotel at the centre of a standoff over accommodation for asylum seekers in Roscrea could be burned.

Some 17 international protection applicants entered Racket Hall hotel on Monday amid scuffles between gardaí and protesters which saw one person arrested.

On Monday, Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary Jackie Cahill told RTÉ that he had reported a warning that had been made to him that the hotel would be burned down to the Garda.

He said it was a “very isolated” incident but “you only have to have one person to have an arson attack, you don’t have to have everyone agreeing with it”.

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A full investigation of the matter has not been launched. In response to queries, a spokeswoman for the Garda said that while it does not comment on specific conversations with third parties, the force “can confirm information was received” and it was now being assessed.

“Any such information received by An Garda Síochána is subject of an assessment. An Garda Síochána takes any suggestion of a threat very seriously and [it] could be subject of an investigation.”

It comes as the Government plans to continue placing asylum seekers at the hotel in the face of a standoff with protesters, although it understood that fewer than the 160 people the hotel is contracted to provide accommodation for may arrive in the coming days.

The Department of Integration said on Monday that it will be “providing accommodation for families seeking international protection at Racket Hall, Roscrea, Tipperary over the coming days”.

However, a Government source said the full allocation of 160 in 40 rooms would not necessarily be used straight away, and that the approach in the coming days would be informed by numbers arriving into the country and broader availability of accommodation, in line with the approach to other premises.

[ Roscrea protest: Third night of demonstration over plans to house asylum seekers in hotel ]

A second Coalition source said that “accommodation is exceptionally tight and where it’s available it will be utilised”. A third Coalition source cautioned against being seen to “back down”. The Government has been accused of U-turning in the face of protests after accommodating families in centres in Mayo and Carlow where the plan had originally been for single men to be accommodated.

A spokesman for the department said that there was a “nationwide urgent situation and emergency centres, such as this one, have been opened in all parts of the country”.

Meanwhile, protesters remained overnight at the 40-bed hotel on the outskirts of Roscrea.

According to the Garda Press Office, uniformed members of the force supported by “soft cap” public order personnel provided a cordon at the entrance to Racket Hall to facilitate access for transport carrying international protection applicants.

“During the course of the operation, one male was arrested under the public order act. He has subsequently been released and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions,” said the Garda Press Office in its statement.

One local Roscrea truck driver, Justin Phelan, predicted up to 30 protesters would remain at the scene overnight.

“We have had 20 to 30 people staying every night since we started the protest on Friday, and even though temperatures have dropped to freezing and below, I expect we will have the same tonight. People are very angry but very determined – Roscrea has already taken its fair share of refugees.”

Mr Phelan pointed to several hundred Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants being accommodated in Roscrea and said that the town simply does not have the services necessary to support more asylum seekers.

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