Mayo's refugee figures 'come with a health warning'

Mayo County Council has said it does not trust the accuracy of refugee figures provided by the Department of Justice.

The local authority previously provided monthly updates on the refugee numbers in the county to county councillors. Cllr Donna Sheridan queried why these updates stopped in July at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council.

Director of Services, Tom Gilligan said the updates had been halted as he felt he could not stand over the figures being provided by the Department.

He said recent figures stated that refugees were being houses in the Quay Community Centre, however he knows this is no longer case. Mr Gilligan said the figures currently available to the council have to 'come with a health warning' over their veracity.

Councillors were deeply concerned that inaccurate figures were being provided. "If we are  being given the wrong figures that's really serious," said Cllr Michael Kilcoyne.

Cllr Christy Hyland asked if Mayo County Council were still deriving an income from the Quay Community Centre despite no refugees staying there. Mr Gilligan said there is no income but stated that the council is ‘covering its costs.’ Cllr Annie May Reape said he is concerned about ‘very strong rumours’ that a premises in the town is to be used as accommodation for refugees.

She questioned Mr Gilligan on the matter. “If anything else Is happening in Ballina we need to know,” Cllr Reape stated. Mr Gilligan said he wasn’t aware of the rumours and wasn’t sure what site Cllr Reape was alluding to.

Meanwhile, Cllr Brendan Mulroy has proposed that young people struggling to get on the property ladder should be allowed to build modular homes on land owned by them or their family. “We need to help a lot of people in this county,” said Cllr Mulroy. His proposal was seconded by Cllr Michael Kilcoyne. “Our housing crisis would be a lot worse if it wasn’t for the parents and grandparents that are putting people up,” added Cllr Mulroy.