Around 350 people attended a heated public meeting in Athlone last night about plans to house up to 1,000 extra refugees in the area.
It was organised by Athlone Stands Together, who oppose the plan.
The Department of Integration wants to accommodate the refugees in Lissywollen - initially in tents and later in modular units.
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Local councillors are trying to prevent the plans from going ahead.
Mayor of Athlone Municipal District, Frankie Keena, was at the meeting last night in the Radisson Blu Hotel: