‘The people of Ballymun are welcoming’: FF councillor rejects ‘upsetting’ protests

A local Fianna Fáil councillor for the Ballymun-Finglas area has said those taking part in protests are not representative of the wider community.

Demonstrations featuring dozens of protesters have taken place since Saturday against the accommodation of refugees and international protection applicants in the area.

The TraveLodge on Shangan Road, which has been used to accommodate asylum seekers and homeless people for several years, is currently home to several young children, The Irish Times previously reported.

Cllr Briege Mac Oscar told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that seeing the Ballymun community represented in this way was upsetting.

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“My thoughts are firstly with the people who are living in those centres targeted by the protests. The testimonies we’ve heard are very upsetting,” she said.

“To think children were looking out and hearing people say ‘send them home’, that’s very upsetting.”

“It is shameful on those people and groups that they would come in and do this and target people in this way, especially when this facility hasn’t been an issue the whole time it’s been open. That’s because the people of Ballymun are welcoming, and they have solidarity with the more vulnerable in our community.”

“I would love the opportunity to meet the people who are affected because it is important that they know we’re all with them.

“Our hearts are broken looking at what is happening to them.”

Dublin mayor Caroline Conroy, a Green Party councillor for the same area, said yesterday that she believed the protests were being orchestrated by the far right.

The mayor, who grew up in Ballymun, added: “We’re going to look at the best response from the community to show the real side of Ballymun – that we are inclusive.”