Arrival of thousands of refugees brings ‘issues’

THE placement of thousands of new arrivals at Citywest Hotel over the last year, led to some “issues” in the area, but authorities report that they have appeared to have calmed down, reports Maurice Garvey.

Gardai and local representatives discussed the response to refugee centres at Citywest Hotel and Dolcain House in Clondalkin, at Friday’s JPC Policing Meeting in South Dublin County Council.

One issue saw men drinking in Saggart graveyard, which led to complaints in the community.

TD Emer Higgins (FG) noted this was “as a result I suppose of a massive increase in population”.

“When you think Saggart has a population of 3,000 and there is an additional 3,000 put in there at very short notice, it has just ballooned overnight,” said Deputy Higgins.

Higgins acknowledged a lot of “teething problems” and that Citywest Hotel was “well over capacity” during the summer.

“There were a lot of issues at that point. Calls morning noon and night. To my mind the issues have calmed down dramatically, and that is down to better management of Citywest and better garda visibility on the ground,” she said.

Cllr Eoin O’Broin (SocDems) asked gardai if they could verify rumours circulating in the environs of Dolcain House on Monastery Road, that “it is unsafe”.

“I don’t know if there is any substance to it. I walk or drive or cycle on that road quite often and haven’t noticed anything myself,” said Cllr O’Broin.

Dolcain House, the former head offices of SIAC, now houses close to 200 single males classed as International Protection (IP).

Responding to representatives at the meeting, Inspector Paul Mayock said there was one assault in Rathcoole in 2021, which increased to six for the same period in 2022.

“That was at the early stages of these hotels, complexes been used for the purpose of refugees etc,” said Insp Mayock.

“We had a number of incidents. We were finding our way, as were the managers and facilitators of these complexes. Citywest yes, Dolcain House yes, Red Cow Hotel yes. We have a number of those in our patch, and I suppose we have learned as we’ve gone on.

“As recently as last Friday, I was in Dolcain House, to share the knowledge of what we have learned. Ultimately we are learning as we go. Patrols worked in Saggart but we were nearly catching up at that stage. The graveyard was been used for anti-social behaviour , drinking, they were bored, we are sort of ahead of that in Dolcain House and Citywest. Certain rules and regulations have been put in place.”

A spokesperson for the Saggart Village Residents Association noted there were some issues during the summer when Citywest hotel was “overcrowded at the time”.

The spokesperson said the community is going to great efforts to support Ukranians living in Citywest Hotel and they are hosting their Christmas event in the new plaza this year with the new residents.

“We are keen to do this, it is about social inclusion, not about separation,” said a spokesperson.

However, a recent court case of a man sent to Citywest on bail has raised questions for residents.

Earlier this month, Olexandar Pogozhy appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court, charged with having possession of a crossbow that was not licensed.

Pogozhy (65) was arrested by armed response gardai at the Highlands Hotel following an incident there.

The hotel is being partially used as part of the Government’s humanitarian accommodation programme.

As part of his bail condition, Pogozhy has to reside at Citywest.

“What is Citywest being used for,” asked the SVRA spokesperson.

“It’s not a detention centre and it is not a mental health facility. It has two functions, a Ukrannian hub for people to stay longer term and a transit hub to process people.

“Are the right supports in place for people on bail there ? And are the right supports in place for the community ?.”

Deputy Higgins said it is her understanding the man is here on temporary protection, and that the judge needed a set address to make the bail condition.

“He set the address as Citywest, bail he has to set an address somewhere, and Citywest is a secure location.

“The issues were when it was over-capacity, but now that other places have opened, it is more manageable. Gardai are very visible in the area, and more supports are on site, including Dept Health, HSE and volunteers, a lot of whom arrived in Citywest earlier this year and are now working there as volunteers,” said Deputy Higgins.