Mount St asylum seekers could face prosecution if they return; 60 arrive at Newtownmountkennedy
Council workers, some dressed in white overalls, were involved in clean-up efforts to remove the tents and wash down the camp area in and around Mount Street. Picture: Stephen Collins/ Collins
Asylum seekers who were moved from the tent city on Dublin’s Mount Street were warned they could face prosecution should they return to the area.
On Wednesday morning, hundreds of asylum seekers who had been living in tents outside the International Protection Office were moved to international protection facilities at Citywest and Crooksling in Co Dublin.
Council workers, some dressed in white overalls, were involved in clean-up efforts to remove the tents and wash down the camp area in and around Mount Street.
In a statement, the Government said that the people seeking international protection had been moved safely to the two sites shortly before 10am — Citywest refugee processing centre, and St Brigid’s Home in Crooksling — the same place those present at Mount St had been moved to in advance of the St Patrick’s Day celebration in March.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said that he believed a total of 268 asylum seekers were moved from Mount Street to both Crooksling and Citywest.
A letter was delivered to each of the asylum seekers at the Mount St encampment by representatives from the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), written in four languages — English, French, Arabic, and Georgian.
It told them to gather their personal belongings and get on a waiting bus and to leave their tent behind, which was to be “disposed of for health and safety reasons”.
“At the accommodation, you will be safe and there will be food and hygiene facilities and IPAS will be able to provide you with support,” the note read.
“You do not have permission to stay in this area of Mount Street,“ the note added however.
“You are committing an offence. If you refuse to come to the available accommodation or you later return to stay in this area you may be moved on by An Garda Siochana (police) and you may be arrested and prosecuted,” it said.
Mount Street was cordoned off during the operation, with a large number of gardaí present. Access was only granted to residents of the street and workers involved in the removal operation.
Health personnel also participated in the multi-agency initiative. A similar operation to remove tents from the area was undertaken in March, but another makeshift encampment soon built up again.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said the operation was to ensure the “safe movement of people” who are seeking asylum.
Simon Harris said that the people living in tents on Mount Street had been in an “unacceptable situation” and they were now in better accommodation with sanitation facilities.
“It was also a day saying to people that even in a humanitarian crisis, there are still laws, and you can't have a scenario where, in a very ad hoc fashion, these kind of tented villages are nearly allowed to develop,” Mr Harris said.
Separately, approximately 60 people seeking international protection have been moved into the fractious site at Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, where violent scenes were seen between protesters and gardaí.
Six people were arrested after protestors clashed with gardaí there last week.
People had been protesting over the use of the HSE-owned River Lodge, known locally as Trudder House in Newtownmountkennedy, as accommodation for International Protection Applicants (IPAs) for many weeks.
One local, who asked not to be named, said a separate group has gathered to welcome and support the newly arrived asylum seekers.
Asylum applicants who were recently brought "very quietly" to Newtownmountkennedy told locals that they had been moved from Crooksling — where some of the refugees camping on Mount Street were moved to this morning.
“The atmosphere in the town is one of suspicion. The men from Crooksling arrived very quietly," the local volunteer said.
“We didn't even see them.
“I'm in contact with one of the men and he said they brought the beds from Crooksling to Trudder [House, Newtownmountkennedy].
“We weren't allowed past the Garda barriers [into the Trudder House site] which we understand as we don't expect special treatment.”
Asylum seekers told the volunteer that they were staying in army-style tents in Trudder House.
“They have bathrooms and showers and there's a communal area to eat and charge phones.
A statement from the Department of Integration said: “Approximately 60 International Protection applicants were accommodated at Trudder House yesterday. Those who had been at Mount Street were moved to Crooksling and Citywest.”
- Additional reporting from PA
