KILDARE: Letter to be drafted and sent to Minister Roderic O'Gorman in relation to asylum seekers

Kildare County Council (KCC) has agreed to draft a letter to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland.

Three councillors put forward the following joint motion to KCC at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD) meeting, which was held on Wednesday, May 17: "That this MD writes to the Minister for Integration calling on him to ensure that supports are available to all people seeking refuge in the Kildare- Newbridge MD regardless of country of origin."

The motion was put forward by Cllr Rob Power (Fianna Fáil), Cllr Chris Pender (Social Democrats) and Cllr Noel Connolly (Sinn Féin).

Speaking to KCC, Cllr Connolly pointed to six people who tragically lost their lives while attempting to flee a conflict in their homeland back in March of 2022.

"Asking for asylum is a human right," he added.

He also said that while he recognises that the Ukraine crisis is an emergency situation, he stressed that the same asylum should be hastened for other international protection applicants (IPAs).

"People fleeing Ukraine should not be left waiting in limbo, but neither should anyone else. No human being is more deserving than another."

The suggestion was made by (left to right) councillors Rob Power, Noel Connolly and Chris Pender.

He also criticised the 'blatantly racist' asylum seeking system in Ireland, and alleged that black and brown migrants often have to resort to taking up accomodation in tents to make way for white European IPAs.

Cllr Connolly commended the work of the Newbridge4All (N4A) activist group, as did Cllr Pender and Cllr Power.

In addition, Cllr Power pointed out that certain groups of people were spreading a negative narrative around IPAs in Ireland.

He pointed to the history of Irish immigrants: "Anyone who knows anything about Irish history knows that if you were Irish, and you touched down on another nation’s shores, there would automatically be assumptions made about you."

While he acknowledged that the issue is not confined to the MD, and is a national one, he nevertheless wished for KCC to draft a letter to the Minister.

Their motion was supported by Fine Gael Cllrs Peggy O’Dwyer (who also seconded the motion) and Mark Stafford, as well as chair of the meeting, Fianna Fáil Cllr Suzanne Doyle, who said: "In the rush to create housing, we need to be aware of the social impacts too."

Following a vote between members, the councillors unanimously agreed to draft a letter addressed to Minister O'Gorman, and to circulate the draft once it is written up.

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ADDITIONAL STATEMENT

N4A also issued a statement to the Leinster Leader, which reads: "Newbridge For All welcomes the motion put forward by Councillors Noel Connolly, Chris Pender and Robert Power.

"As a community group committed to promoting inclusion, solidarity, empathy, and cooperation in our town, we fully support this motion.

N4A continued: "We believe that everyone, regardless of nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability or legal status, has the right to live with dignity, engage actively, and contribute to the community.

"We stand in solidarity with all residents of Newbridge, including those who are new to the town, and support the provision of, and access to, adequate housing, education, and healthcare services for all.

"We believe that people who are seeking asylum, who have been displaced and forced to flee their homes due to conflict or violence, deserve compassion and support as they come to Newbridge in search of safety and the opportunity to live fulfilling lives without fear of persecution.

"We applaud the work of many groups and individuals who actively support people in our community, helping them meet basic needs and integrate socially within our town.

"We believe that an inclusive and connected community is stronger together, and we are committed to working with others to create a community where everyone feels valued, appreciated, and able to contribute to all facets of our society.

"Therefore, we call on all of our local representatives to support this motion to ensure that everyone who comes to Newbridge seeking refuge can access the supports they need to thrive; together, we can build a more welcoming and inclusive community for all."

The group added: "You can sign up to our values statement on our facebook page (Newbridge For All) or email us at newbridge4all@gmail.com."