Support services ‘must be in place’ in Ballybane for asylum seekers
Published:
-
-
Author: Stephen Corrigan
~ 2 minutes read
From this week's Galway City Tribune
Government guarantees of sufficient support services on the east side of Galway City have been demanded by a local councillor following a decision to locate 130 international protection beds in the area.
In a letter to the Minister for Children, Equality, Diversity, Integration and Youth (CEDIY), Cllr Declan McDonnell said every effort should be made to avoid placing additional strain on Ballybane, which he described as “one of the most deprived areas of Galway City”.
Cllr McDonnell said shortages in school places, healthcare and accommodation needed to be addressed by Government.
In the correspondence, the Independent councillor for Galway City East said the briefing note sent to councillors from the Department stated that they would work closely with the HSE to facilitate the provision of healthcare to international protection applicants.
“Existing medical card holders are already experiencing difficulty in accessing GP services, because of a shortage of doctors . . . with other healthcare services also under pressure.
“The Department cannot dismiss its obligation to ensure that dedicated extra resources are put in place in order to avoid creating further hardship for the existing population. Simply providing medical cards for another 130 people in this neighbourhood helps neither them nor the people of the area,” said Cllr McDonnell.
As revealed by the Galway City Tribune last week, a one-year contract has been signed to provide accommodation for families seeking international protection at the formerly vacant Ballybane Neighbourhood Village Centre on Castlepark Road from March 20.
In his letter to the Minister, Cllr McDonnell said this was in an area bordered by electoral divisions classified as ‘very disadvantaged’ or ‘disadvantaged’ in the Pobal Deprivation Index 2022.
“With one of the highest levels of local authority housing in the city (18.7%), Ballybane is an area with higher-than-average unemployment levels and a higher-than-average proportion of lone-parent families.
“The 2022 Census shows that Ballybane has among the highest population densities in the city, with a total population of 13,453 population, of which almost 3,700 or 27% are non-Irish citizens,” he wrote.
Many people seeking international protection had been accommodated in the area already, said Cllr McDonnell, but there had not been a commensurate increase in resources locally.
More like this:
Peatland Restoration Training for excavator operators
As one of the key solutions to addressing climate and biodiversity issues, there is a strong dema...
Government says "record" number of new homes commenced in Galway City during 2024
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMConstruction commenced on a "record" number of new ho...
Grace period for city parking fines ends amid pay and display machine issues
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMGalway City Council's "grace period" on parking fines...
Plan for major expansion of Planet Galway bowling alley and arcade at Headford Road
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMPlans have been lodged for a major expansion at The P...
Galway expert joins HSE podcast to offer advice on improving your life in 2025
Help is at hand for those looking to start the New Year on a healthier footing – thanks to a loca...
Council outlines roads allocation for Conamara
GALWAY County Council is planning for a provisional spend of €4.38 million this year on 1,360 kil...
New chair welcomes roadworks allocation
The newly elected Cathaoirleach of Tuam Municipal Area, Cllr Andrew Reddington has welcomed the p...
Community group in Connemara take responsibility for Connemara Pony Show
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMA community based group in Connemara has undertaken r...
Applications for new Galway City budget scheme open next week
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMApplications open next week for a new community budge...