Coolock IPAS U-turn due to State property focus
Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy has said the U-turn by the Department of Justice on housing asylum seekers in Coolock was due to the move towards State-acquired properties and State IPAS centres.
He told RTÉ's This Week programme that this policy shift would be good for the taxpayer.
On Friday, it emerged that the Department of Justice had reversed a plan to house asylum seekers at the site of a former paint factory in Coolock in Dublin.
The proposal had seen prolonged local opposition.
The Department said that planning delays were one of the reasons for the decision along with value for money, required works and residents' welfare.
Mr Brophy denied that the Government had handed a template to protesters on how to thwart plans for a centre in their area.
Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said the coalition had made "a bags of the move and a bags of the announcement" by not having a representative available on Friday when the news emerged.
He said there was a lot of goodwill for the project with all political parties and local representatives on board.
The MEP said it felt like "the protesters had won" and he added that he believed it would take years for the tensions in the area to dissipate.
Yesterday, it was reported that the Government was understood to be looking into purchasing the Citywest Hotel in west Dublin in order to significantly expand accommodation for asylum seekers on the site.
Minister Brophy said he cannot comment on potential Government plans to purchase the Citywest Hotel.
A memo on the issue will be brought to Cabinet tomorrow.
Mr Brophy said that because he was a Minister of State, he was therefore not a member of Cabinet.
"I'm a Minister of State. I am not aware of what goes into Cabinet on Tuesday, I want to be absolutely clear," he said.
Mr Brophy said that both himself and Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan were in favour of State-owned refugee accommodation.
"Myself and Minister O'Callaghan are actively supporting a State-run and purchased scheme, where we will own and provide services directly by the state," he said.
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