Tipperary TD Alan Kelly is accusing the Government of lip service on the issue of integration of new arrivals to Ireland. Deputy Kelly says he was in Borrisokane last week when IPAS officials refused to meet the residents in the Riverside apartment as a group or to meet members of the local liaison group or indeed to meet local representatives. The TD says the presence of Gardaí towards the end of the visit was a ridiculous waste of their time.
The residents of the Riverside Apartments are being evicted on Thursday by the Department to possibly move them to Birr. The residents have fully integrated into Borrisokane community and have secured legal permission to remain in Ireland. Deputy Kelly wants the Department to honour an agreement made by the Department of Justice in 2019 that they could stay on Housing Assistance payment combined with their own resources if they secured leave to remain. Responsibility for Migrants has since been transferred to the Department of Children, Youth, Equality, Disability and Integration. The TD also questions the necessity of a move to different accommodation Birr.
