Launch of fundraising campaign over Puckane cottages

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist the local community with legal costs in its opposition to a plan to provide an accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Puckane. Puckane Community Group said the village is “under threat” by private company Double Property Group’s plan to permanently repurpose 12 holiday cottages and the surrounding amenity area as an asylum seeker accommodation centre. The community group fears the loss of Puckane’s number 1 tourism asset, and increasing of the village population “by an unsustainable 30%” without having the necessary local services to support asylum seeker integration, including local school places, public transport, and medical services.

“This is a recipe for a social disaster,” the group warns.

Its members have set up a legal fund, which they say will be needed to secure a judicial review of the plan and/or seek an injunction. The group’s online fundraising page can be found here.

Meanwhile, local TD Alan Kelly has facilitated a meeting on the matter between representatives of the Puckane community and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman. “Over the last two weeks, I’ve had several conversations with Minister O’Gorman to formulate those concerns and, as a result, he has agreed to meet a delegation from Puckane on Wednesday, November 9. I hope this can be a positive meeting where all concerns are raised and taken on board,” Deputy Kelly stated.