Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

Last night, there was an arson attack on St. John's House, Tallaght, which is due to be used for international protection applicants. This is about the 30th arson attack over the past few years. It fits the same pattern as the others, pointing to the same far-right agitators coming in and spreading lies, hate and division. This results in the sort of horrific attack that has happened. St. John's House is not just for housing international protection applicants because it also houses Jigsaw, a young people's mental health service, and restaurants. The attack proves that the people spreading the hate and carrying out the attacks are not about building up communities or having more resources for communities. All they want to do is spread destruction, violence and fear. The vast majority of people in Tallaght will reject this hatred and the attack absolutely. They will ask the very valid question as to why there was no private security at the site. We know that a very small minority is unfortunately targeting the sites and that they need to be protected. The people will say there is a real problem with communication from the Government. The proposal for the site was first reported in the local news in January but we did not get any accurate information until about two weeks ago. In that vacuum, the bad actors spread their lies. The lie is circulating that there will be 3,500 people in the centre. It is completely ridiculous. It looks like the accurate figure, at the end of two phases, will end up at 350. The lie has been spread that the applicants are completely unvetted and bring criminality with them. There is no basis in fact for that.

Accurate information needs to be given to communities in a timely manner because otherwise people are given this space.

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