Minister Roderick O’Gorman says the planned eviction of refugee families from the Riverside Apartments in Borrisokane will not go ahead. Six of 19 families living in the complex since 2019 were due to be relocated to a former nursing home building in Birr as the Department of Integration wants other International Protection Applicants to move to Borrisokane.
The local community insisted that the Government honour an agreement made in 2019 that as the families gained legal status to remain in Ireland and could enter into employment allowing them to remain in the complex and pay their own rent with assistance from the Housing Assistance Payment(HAP) if necessary.
Local TD Alan Kelly has repeatedly highlighted the actions of a local committee working to integrate the new arrivals since 2019 as a model for all of Ireland.
Minister O’Gorman is now to work with Tipperary County Council and other agencies to find solutions for the residents.
