Killian raises ‘clarity’ concerns over plans for Thornton Hall

A RATOATH councillor has voiced his disappointment about the lack of clarity around plans to accommodate up to 1,000 asylum seekers at Thornton Hall in the coming weeks following a meeting with the Community Engagement Team of the DCEDIY last month.

Many concerns were raised at the hour and a half long meeting in August but Independent Cllr Nick Killian says there were not a lot of answers given on vital issues and an update distributed to local representatives this week leaves even further questions.

It comes as Taoiseach Simon Harris confirmed that tented accommodation at Thornton Hall will open later this month.

The document outlines planned Migrant Health supports for asylum seekers arriving at the North Dublin site and clinics for residents that will be run by the IPAS Customer Service Teams together with a background to Ireland's International Protection Process but fails to address the most pressing issues for the communities in Ashbourne and Ratoath according to Killian who said:

“One of the main questions we asked was in relation to transport because it had been indicated to us previously that transport would be provided privately by the Dept to bring the immigrants to Dublin for appointments.

“The concern locally is that we have a bus service particularly the 103 and 105 are already under pressure,” he added.

“The route starts in Ratoath and goes to Ashbourne and it is full by the time it leaves for Dublin, particularly in the morning and evening time and there is a concern that if people are getting on at Thornton Hall the service will not be able to cope with the demand.

“I had a conversation with a Bus Eireann manager about this and he wasn't aware of any arrangements for the 103 or the 105 bus to service Thornton Hall, this despite the fact the dept is saying now that there are no private arrangements.

“People may want to come into Ashbourne or Ratoath or towards Finglas and on into Dublin, who is going to provide that bus service?

We are not getting an answer to that. What definite services are going to be provided for them, we don't know?”

Local reps also highlighted concerns about how residents of Thornton Hall would be affected living under the new flight path.

“If they are living in tents, can you imagine what the noise will be like?” asked the Independent councillor.

“From a Meath perspective, we are on the outside looking in, we are dependent for information from Fingal councillors. We don't know where we stand, it is up in the air, it is unclear and these people are arriving before the end of the month, this is very serious.”