A small number of people, who on Sunday afternoon illegally gained entry into a centre housing international protection applicants in Athlone, left following Garda directions.
Gardaí in Westmeath policed a 200-strong protest from town’s civic centre to the Midlands Accommodation Centre at Lissywollen.
A garda spokesperson told The Irish Times that a small number gained entry to private property and were subsequently directed to leave by them.
“These individuals complied with Garda instruction and voluntarily left the area. Enquiries into all of the circumstances surrounding this incident are ongoing at this time,” the Garda spokesperson confirmed.
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The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth added that a member of the on-site security team was injured. The injuries are understood not to be serious. There were no injuries to residents of the centre.
One of the site’s electrical blocks was also damaged during the disturbance, causing a temporary power outage, which has since been repaired.
ent at this time.
Videos of scuffles between gardaí and protesters have circulated on social media.
Accommodation at the Midlands Accommodation Centre will be provided in phases, according to the Department, increasing gradually to house up to 1,000 residents. Accommodation will initially be provided in tented structures, with modular accommodation to follow at a later stage.
In a statement issued by the Department on Monday night, they said that the safety and wellbeing of people staying in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centres is their “priority”.
They confirmed that the first group of 92 international protection applicants arrived at the Midlands Accommodation Centre on Wednesday, December 4th.
Nearly 3,000 international protection applicants have no offer of accommodation at the moment. Over the last number of weeks, because of cold and stormy weather, some of their accommodation sites for male applicants have “been placed out of use,” the Department noted.
Applicants for international protection do not have access to social housing support or standard social welfare entitlements, and many of them lack a network of family or friends in the State to assist them with accommodation.
“Temporary accommodation sites such as this site in Athlone are an essential component of the Government’s strategy to provide basic accommodation to applicants,” the Department added.
“We acknowledge that people in the area have questions and concerns about this and we want to provide accurate information about what is known and planned for this site.”
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