Councillors in Athlone have begun seeking independent legal advice over a refugee accommodation centre currently under construction in the town. Work is well underway on the site at Lissywollen in the town for 100 to 150 tents to be later replaced by modular units as part of plans to house up to 1,000 international protection applicants. The site will be in addition to the active direct provision centre in the area and is envisioned to house single adult males who are seeking asylum. County Councillors in Athlone issued an order to stop construction works at the end of October, with the statutory period before the order can come into effect set at 30 days.
The Department of Integration have confirmed that work on site will continue in that period. Councillors from the Athlone/Moate District including Frankie Keena, Aengus O'Rourke, Paul Hogan, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, John Donlon, Liam McDaniel, Johnny Penrose, Vinny McCormack and Tom Farrell had sought legal advice from the council. In a joint statement to Shannonside FM News, the councillors have now confirmed they have engaged independent legal advice with a view to stopping the works at Lissywollen. The decision has been met with significant backlash from the local community and political representatives, with Gardaí attending the site over the weekend.
