Plans have been discussed between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Mayo County Council to accommodate upwards of 200 asylum seekers in the Moy Valley Industrial Park in Ballina.
Director of Services for Housing with Mayo County Council Tom Gilligan told this morning’s meeting of the Ballina Municipal District of discussions he had with the Department regarding this last month on May 19.
After the Department made a request for accommodation for refugees seeking international protection, he advised them of a 20,000-square-foot facility available at the Moy Valley Industrial Park that would be suitable for accommodation for in excess of 200 people.
The Department said in response that they considered this ‘promising’ and said they would follow up.
Mr Gilligan told the meeting that Mayo County Council was following government policy regarding the provision of accommodation for those fleeing war and prosecution around the world. He said there was precedent in this county for using such facilities for accommodation, with asylum seekers currently accommodated at a unit in the N5 Business Park in Castlebar.
“I want to assure the public we are working with the Department and implementing government policy with regard to this.”