Controversial Mayo meeting on migrant accommodation cancelled

The cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council has informed elected members of the authority of his decision to cancel next Friday's special meeting of the authority on migrant accommodation.

Councillor Seamus Weir said since he requisitioned the controversial meeting last Thursday following discussions with the three group whips - Peter Flynn (FG), Damian Ryan (FF) and Michael Kilcoyne (Ind.) - it became clear to him that the support he understood to be in place within each of the parties was clearly not the case.

"From correspondence and discussions I have had over recent days with the whips and individual members, I believe if such a meeting goes ahead it is unlikely that we will have a quorum.

"Accordingly, I have decided to cancel this meeting," he explained.

Councillor Weir has asked the meeting administrator to make the necessary arrangements to cancel the meeting.

The meeting became engulfed in controversy due to a motion calling on the council to no longer cooperate with the intake of Ukrainian refugees (BOTP) and international protection asylum seekers (IPAS) into the county until a clear strategy is put in place to ensure the delivery of critical services in the areas of healthcare, policing and education - "having regard to the recent and sudden population increase in towns and villages in Mayo."

The mounting pressure eventually told when the Fine Gael party leader, Councillor Michael Burke, requested the cancellation of the meeting because the majority of his members would not be attending.

This was followed by a statement by Fianna Fáil whip, Councillor Damian Ryan, that he was withdrawing his support for the meeting - and asking that a general item on emergency provision be put on the agenda for the May 8 meeting looking for additional supports for the people we have already accommodated and propose to accommodate.

The political ramifications from the saga are likely to unfold in the weeks ahead.