Council refutes claims about Ukrainian refugees

There is “a growing perception” among people in Tipperary that Ukrainian refugees are being housed in dwellings owned or rented by the County Council in preference to people on the local authority's waiting list - but this is not true.

That's what council management told elected representatives at their January meeting in Clonmel, after elected members raised concerns over perceptions about refugees being favoured for social housing in the county.

Cllr Michael Murphy paid tribute to the council for its “extraordinary efforts” to help Ukrainian refugees since they started to arrive in Tipperary following the declaration of war on their country by Russian President Valdimir Putin almost a year ago.

But Cllr Murphy said there was a perception out there that the arrival of refugees was “impacting” on the council's waiting list for houses and that the local authority was facilitating the accommodation of Ukrainian nationals in privately rented accommodation through the Housing Assistance Payment scheme.

“I do not support this perception,” stated Cllr Murphy, who added that he was extremely proud of the response of the council to the crisis that has seen hundreds of refugees arriving in Tipperary seeking shelter.

Cllr Pat English said the vast majority of people welcomed the arrival of refugees. But there was now in existence “a far right element that was out there stirring up a lot of stuff up on the ground”.

It was up to elected representatives to fight for democracy and resist this element. “We as a council should be at the forefront in welcoming people to our country,” said Cllr English.

Cllr Seamus Morris said one of the first families in Nenagh to take in Ukrainian refugees were, in fact, Russian nationals who were living in the town.

Irish people were incredibly understanding of the plight of Ukrainians arriving here, but it was unfortunate that asylum seekers from other countries, particularly young single men, were being bussed into towns by the government in the middle of the night. This practice was now testing people's patience.

Adding that asylum seekers found themselves being moved around the country from one centre to another, Cllr Morris added: “I think we are beginning to lose control of the whole thing, despite the best efforts of this council.”

Cllr Morris said the arrival of refugees and asylum seekers had resulted in extra pressures on local services, such as the health sector. What was needed going forward was for the government to ensure that there was “an open forum” with local communities; that there be good communication rather than locals finding out asylum seekers were bussed into towns in the dead of night.

GROWING PERCEPTION

Cllr Richie Molloy said there was a growing perception in Tipperary that refugees were “impacting" on the council's housing list. There were fears among natives over how everything was going to unfold into the future.

Cllr Michael Anglim said refugees were being used to stir up anger and frustration. However, the council had to do all it could to help people fleeing war. There were also so-called “climate change refugees” in the country, many of them able-bodied young men, and their arrival was giving certain right wing elements the opportunity to get on a megaphone. This behaviour was evident recently in Dublin. “This is not the country I want to be in,” declared Cllr Anglim.

The council's Director of Housing, Sinead Carr, said properties under the council's Housing for All strategy and those under the Housing Assistant Payment and Rental Accommodation schemes were not available to Ukrainian refugees.

Ms Carr said there was a lot of nonsense circulating about refugees, such as claims that they were even getting hairdressing services for free. She said it behoved everyone to ensure there was a “push back” against such unfounded claims.

She said there had been an extraordinary response throughout Tipperary to the plight of refugees who, everyone had to remember, were fleeing a war. She urged councillors to step up and defend the stance taken on the issue by the council and refute unfounded perceptions that were out there.

Ms Carr said she wanted to acknowledge all those people who contacted the council offering their homes to house refugees.

In relation to providing accommodation for asylum seekers, she said the council had no role; that function was under the remit of the Department of Justice.

Councillors referred to the the welcome given in Borrisokane to Syrian refugees who were accommodated in the town a few years ago. They also cited the successful operation of a temporary accommodation centre for refugees in Littleton as evidence that the vast majority of local people were sympathetic to their plight.