Thread by @TippFM

Cllr Joe Hannigan addressing a packed hall in Borrisokane this evening to address the arrival of 16 asylum seeking families in the town in the coming days. Cllrs Ger Darcy and Michael O'Meara joining him at the top table.

"I'm extremely angered that we all have to be here today. I'm angered at the way the Department of Justice handled the situation. I'm worried about how this will play out" says Cllr Ger Darcy.

Cllr Seamie Morris: "We were as blindsided as everyone else with this news. We don't mind taking what's coming to us but the people who made the decision aren't here tonight".

Morris: "The people coming here who are in hotels at the moment - it's not their fault that they're coming here. They want to be in their home countries," he says to applause from the room.

Cllr Michael O'Meara: "This has been handled extremely, extremely badly. It doesn't give me confidence in the Department of Justice who are driving this - and its them, not the local authority behind this"

Cllr Hughie McGrath joins with his four municipal district colleagues by accusing the Department of Justice officials who met them today of being "totally disinterested".

Question from the floor: "If we don't know where these people are coming from how can we set up a liaison with them? Can they even speak English?"

Cllr Seamie Morris says they've been told first group have good understanding of English.

"We have to feel safe. We're a small town, a small community. Have these people been vetted?" asks one woman.

Cllr O'Meara says that because of data protection they can't be told much about the families.

Same woman says "we really need to find this out", to applause from room.

"We all have families who have emigrated. I hope the people who are coming here won't get the reception I fear they will from this room tonight. They've been through a lot" says one man.

A Board of Management member of the local school says the school has been consulted. All the primary and secondary schools in the area will be meeting Department representatives on Monday.

"I'm worried for my family and my children. The level of secrecy is what's concerning me./We have heard stories of what's going on in nearby towns. As a woman in this town I am terrified," says one woman.

Longford based Leader of the far right National Party Justin Barrett is in the front row of the crowd.

A man from East Galway has traveled to tell the crowd that "they are looking for the weakest link. Do an Oughterard on it" he says, to huge applause.

A local man says he's concerned with the narrative in the room without having yet met the arriving assylum seekers.

Top table say that the centre is not a direct provision centre, but an "Independent living centre" to jeers from the room.

"A centre that you're directly provided for in" heckles one man.

"I feel that we're missing the bigger picture," says one man. "I see people in Borrisokane who need special needs assistants and can't get support for them - yet these people coming in will have supports handed to them."

"The reason we have people in this room tonight is the fear. It could be real or unjustified, but there's a fear here. We've a basic right to know who's coming to our town and where they're coming from. People have come from all over Europe to Borrisokane and they're -- (1/2)

(2/2) welcome - but we don't know who these people are and we're afraid. It's not that we don't want them, it's that we want to know who they are. Once we know who they are, they're more than welcome" says one man.

Leader of far-right National Party Justin Barrett, who grew up in Borrisokane, makes a political speech accusing the Dep of Justice of lying to the locals and hiding this until it was too late. Says Oughterard said no, so can Borrisokane. Crowd divided, a number have walked out.

Top table suggest formation of a committee to liaise with Department of Justice to ensure communication between them and the locals. Says a lot of the concerns have come from the lack of communication.

Cathaoirleach of the district Cllr Joe Hannigan speaking to Justin Barrett after the meeting, says local concerns must be considered.
Outside, young National Party members are handing out a leaflet saying 'Stand Up For Ireland' in front of a photo of Dan Breen.

Meeting has ended with agreement that there should be a committee formed to engage with Department. Locals mostly concerned about the lack of information on who is coming and where they're coming from. Also lack of resources, education, medical etc.

Hear more about the meeting on tomorrow morning's Tipp Today from 9am.