Rooms for refugees: ‘There is no urgency about helping Syrians’

Jeanette Everson’s decision to pledge a bedroom to a refugee was easy to make. There was just one question in her mind as she signed up to offer the two spare rooms in her house: “What if it was my son?”

“I don’t understand how any parent can see pictures of children and adults in refugee camps or in migrant boats or in the aftermath of war and not open their home to them,” said Everson, a ceramic artist who lives in Co Westmeath.

“I would hope that if my children were fleeing war, bombs, torture, loss of family, home and everything they ever knew, that someone somewhere would take them in.

“These people don’t want to come here - they are being forced to leave their country and their home to save their lives. So really, the underlining reason for pledging a bed is ‘What if it was us?’ ”

Everson is one of the hundreds of people around Ireland who offered to open their doors to refugees in September 2015.

Responding to the successful online Pledge a Bed campaign launched by Irish advocacy group Uplift, the Department of Justice appointed the Irish Red Cross to verify pledges of support.

Eight months later, the Irish Red Cross is still sifting through about 800 pledges of accommodation, goods and services from communities, GAA clubs, churches and individuals around Ireland.

Irish Red Cross chief executive Liam O’Dwyer said the charity is liaising with those making pledgesand, in most cases, “people are ready and the accommodation is there”.

However, some people have expressed frustration at the long wait for information on when refugees will arrive.

Drowned children

Malcolm Hamilton from Co Sligo pledged a studio apartment which is adjacent to his family home after seeing images of “nameless children” who had drowned in the Mediterranean Sea appearing repeatedly on the news.

In January, he received a call from the Irish Red Cross asking if his property could be reviewed for suitability. After three months of waiting, Mr Hamilton called the Irish Red Cross in April and was told there was a shortage of volunteers available to assess his property.

“It feels like there is absolutely no urgency about helping Syrian war refugees.

“It seems like everything is just being delayed until the problem magically goes away,” he said.

“You’re thinking this has happened so many times throughout the generations. With a little bit of humanity, a little imagination and a little less fear, the crisis could be sorted out quite easily.”

Kelly Petit from Ashbourne, Co Meath, said she is glad it has taken a few months for refugees to begin arriving as it has given her family time to prepare.

Pledging a bed

“I don’t have a lot of money, I have two children. I can’t take off to another country to go help, so I said I’ll pledge a bed. It has been a lengthy process but we feel we can adapt.”

Paula Ter Brake Williamspledged a room in her Dublin home and a house in the countryside to the Irish Red Cross last September, but is still waiting to hear back.

“I said I would fundraise, I would volunteer and I would also open up my home and provide accommodation,” she said.

“I understand that they can’t engage with every single person who contacts them, but thought there would be some automated process.”

“I got so frustrated waiting I just decided to go to Lesbos. I funded my own trip and I’ve raised €10,000.

“What I do know is that money has directly impacted a number of lives positively. At least I feel I’ve done something. Otherwise I’d be sitting here twiddling my thumbs.”