THE DEPARTMENT of Justice has decided not to go ahead with plans to open an accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Ballina, Co Mayo, after intense lobbying by local politicians.
The Irish Times understands that a high-level departmental meeting decided against opening the centre on the banks of the river Moy because of local concerns about potential social and economic consequences.
The town's mayor, Pádraig Moore of Fianna Fáil, threatened to leave the party if the plan went ahead.
It was widely believed that the Ridgepool Hotel in Ballina town centre was to be sold to Bridgestock, one of the State's largest providers of asylum seeker housing centres, and converted into a "direct provision" hostel for those seeking refugee status.
However, local politicians and business representatives raised strong objections to the plan, arguing that it would jeopardise Ballina's fishing tourism industry and that the town would struggle to cope with the influx of new residents.
Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary said he had made Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan aware of his "strong feelings" on the issue, and had been assured that no contract had been signed.
He argued that the hotel's location at one of the most famous salmon pools on the Moy was unsuitable for an accommodation centre and that the hostel would damage the local economy by driving tourists away.
Party colleague Pádraig Moore said: "I would definitely have walked from the party if this went ahead. I'm here, number one, to look after the town and number two, for the party. And any party in Government that was willing to put something in that would damage my town and my community, I wouldn't have been able to support that party."
Mr Moore denied that hostility to asylum seekers was behind local objections, pointing out that Ballina had recently welcomed a group of 45 Burmese refugees.
"The majority of the people, their greatest concern was about their livelihood and making a living.
"So many jobs in Ballina depend indirectly on the fishing, that there was always going to be concern," he said.
"If you have 300 to 400 people that are put in a situation by the Government that they're left with €9 a week, they have very little to do. Those people are going to spend their time on the balconies and on the banks of the river. It's not going to be something that will encourage people to come and fish here."
Local Fine Gael TD John O'Mahony said he was pleased to be informed unofficially that the plan would not now go ahead and suggested that the hotel, if it ceases trading, should be turned into a museum or other amenity.
"The big issue here was the location. Some people have interpreted it as being against asylum seekers, but that has nothing to do with it. It was here on the banks of the Moy, the capital of fishing in Ireland," Mr O'Mahony said.
"If you had families permanently housed in what was designed as a hotel, it just wasn't suitable. A hotel is for people staying a few nights, but there was no green area, no play facilities. It just wasn't suitable."
