Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber this morning. As he is well aware, one of the biggest criticisms we get as Government public representatives when there are announcements of international protection or Ukrainian citizens coming to a town is the lack of communication. That happened only this week in Tipperary when there were rumours circulating over the weekend that there were going to be 80 international protection applicants facilitated in the Dundrum House Hotel. Public representatives from my party and the Minister of State's party tried to get as much information as they could over the last three or four days before a meeting held last night with 200 locals present. Only two hours before that meeting was there a full briefing given to public representatives who were being sent into a room of 200 people who were only looking for clarity and information about what the next steps will be. People do not know them and it is a real problem for us and for local councillors.

We had the same problem only two weeks ago in Clonmel regarding the 82 modular units which are going to be built for Ukrainian families. Again, no information was put out, which meant false information was put out and believed. This ended up in a situation where there was a campsite set up for people protesting, which unfortunately made national headlines due to violence. A man working on the site was injured and had to be hospitalised overnight. That is extreme but that sort of lack of communication causes a lack of trust among the public. If the Minister of State or I have to go to these meetings and tell people we do not have the full details, they do not believe us, and I understand there have been issues in Rosslare with people being frustrated with the communication.

The reason I am raising this today is that everyone in Clonmel is talking about Hearns Hotel possibly being used for international protection applicants. I cannot tell people that I know for sure exactly what is happening and how many people are coming but it will be announced at some point. As happened last night, when councillors for the Cashel-Tipperary town district had to go to a meeting in Dundrum, I will get a briefing an hour or two beforehand and will have to work with that in terms of getting information to people in my community. It is not good enough.

There is a good example where good communication has worked and it is from Borrisokane in my county. When the Minister of State's predecessor, Deputy David Stanton, was Minister of State in the Department of Justice, he brought 14 international protection applicant families to the town. They have been there for five years now and the community is so happy with them that it is trying to have a march to protect them because there is a complication with them possibly moving out of their houses. The local people want to keep them there.

My question relates to Hearns Hotel. Has there been communication between the Department, the owners of Hearns Hotel and Tipperary County Council? How long has that been going on? When will international protection applicants be accommodated in Hearns Hotel and how many international protection applicants will this involve? What supports will be provided for them? As anyone from Clonmel will tell you, you cannot get a GP. If you go into a GP in Clonmel, they will tell you there are no vacancies. They cannot take you on. The accident and emergency department in the hospital is under huge pressure. Has contact been made with the local schools in the area? If people are coming, children will be among them. Will there be accommodation for those children come September?