Kildare residents protesting against refugee centre say there will be more demos

Kill residents protesting against plans to house Ukrainian refugees in a former equestrian centre near the village say that they will continue to demonstrate.

Some 50 vehicles took part in a slow drive protest  which left from St Brigid’s parish church in the village on Sunday afternoon and travelled through Johnstown and into Naas.

It was a repeat of a similar protest staged a week before.

And Fiona Forkan of the Kill Residents Action Group, which is coordinating opposition to the centre, says more protests are going to take place, including a march.

A three strong delegation representing KRAG met with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman on Tuesday last and a second meeting has been arranged for next Tuesday.

Ms Forkan said they were told that only Ukrainian families will be accommodated at the centre, initially for a 12 months and for a maximum of three years.

However Ms Forkan said that nobody from the department has visited the site as yet and no final accommodation plan has emerged.

According to the department it is proposed to accommodate 165 war refugees in Kill “early next year.”

Ms Forkan said: “We are sympathetic towards the refugees  but it is frustrating trying to get detailed information and there are real fears that schools in the area and GP services will not cope. I myself spent three days last week trying to get a GP appointment.”

Ms Forkan also pointed out that the centre is at least two kilometres from a shop, a doctor's surgery and the primary school.

“The (the refugees) will have nothing to do all day; they would be better off in a hotel. The infrastructure and amenities of the village are stretched (but the department does not take these factors into consideration.” said Ms Forkin.

Apart from organised protests, individual residents are protesting outside at the entrance to the equestrian centre.

Sunday’s protest was an entirely peaceful affair.

The participating cars carried placards bearing messages “Kill says no to corruption”, “Government needs to consult with the community, take corrective action, who is pulling the strings” and “Irish taxpayers need to unite”.

The vehicles were escorted by a leading garda vehicle and a second garda car was driven at the tail of the protest.

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