Housing of Ukrainian families in Mayo business park questioned
International protection centre opens at former sports facility
THE housing of Ukrainian families in a Mayo business park has been questioned.
The lack of facilities such as play areas and health and safety concerns have been highlighted by Castlebar Councillors Donna Sheridan and Ger Deere.
Twenty-seven families have taken up residence in the N5 Business Park in Castlebar, a meeting of Mayo County Council, convened to discussion refugee accommodation plans in south Mayo, was told.
Councillor Sheridan said what the people of Ukraine are living through and facing is horrific and they had to deal with them in a fair manner and do all they can to help them.
The Castlebar electoral area is home to 769 people - the 11th highest in the country.
Families were being housed in the business park where she questioned health and safety with cars and no recreation area.
The councillor was also aware of people trying to evict tenants to try and house Ukrainians as they would get more money.
Her colleague Councillor Deere said consultation is a disaster. A bus with the families had arrived at the park in recent weeks, to an address over a business where the businessperson there knew nothing about it.
Where were the health and safety and fire certs, he asked. They were told it was an emergency situation, yet the owner of another fantastic property out the road had been put through the mill with certification.
They needed to get their act together and provide proper accommodation. There were hundreds of buildings and they needed to get them done up.
The lack of consultation was commented on by Councillor Blackie Gavin who said he was asked by members of the public about the business park and other properties in Castlebar and he had to say 'I don't know'.
He asked that the elected representatives would be kept informed.
Meanwhile, an international protection centre opens tomorrow at the former Breaffy Sports Arena. With a series of separate units created on site, it will accommodate up to 200 people from many nations. It is located beside the Breaffy Woods Hotel which is accommodating 300 Ukrainian refugees.