The community in Carna suspended its 24/7 ‘watch’ at two village crossroads and outside Carna Bay Hotel, following a public meeting in Cill Chiaráin on Saturday night last.

A total of 185 locals attended the meeting, organised after a committee from Grúpa Gníomh Ostán Cuan Charna got assurances from a liaison officer from the Department of Integration at a meeting in Gteic, Carna on Friday afternoon.

The Department confirmed they had ‘paused’ until June 3 its evaluation of the suitability of the hotel for accommodating International Protection applicants. The hotel owner offered the site to IPAS, which has been resisted locally since it emerged in early March.

The Carna community was keeping watch at two crossroads into the village, and a vigil outside the hotel, for 11 days to last Saturday, because they believed migrants could be moved in overnight. But they agreed to suspend this action following assurances from the Department.

In a statement to the Connacht Tribune, CEDIY again confirmed it had paused its appraisal of Carna Bay Hotel for three months.

“This is because the community are making a proposal about developing a community hotel. Our Department have paused the appraisal in order to let the community advance this proposal with the appropriate bodies. After three months, our intention is to resume the appraisal of the site,” CEDIY said.

Forbairt Chonamara Láir Teo previously confirmed it was interested in buying it as a community hotel to boost tourism and protect the Irish language.

FCL representatives were invited but did not attend last Saturday’s meeting, which was arranged at just over 24-hours’ notice. Údarás na Gaeltacht was not at the meeting either. It was attended by Deputy Mairéad Farrell (SF) and Councillors Tom Welby (Ind) and Gerry King (FF).

Following suggestions from the floor, it was agreed to invite FCL and Údarás to attend another public meeting to explain to the community what plans they had for a ‘community hotel’ in Carna, which is currently is home to 14 Ukrainians.

Elsewhere, the Department confirmed that 98 beds in Kinvara’s Merriman Hotel have been contracted for “families seeking international protection”.

The property was home to Ukrainians since 2022. The Department did not comment on Kinvara Community Council concerns about the loss of the village’s only hotel.

Pictured: Oughterard Manor: Being assessed for its suitability to accommodate International Protection applicants.