A Fianna Fáil county councillor has claimed that if a fire that damaged a hotel earmarked for asylum seekers in Co Galway was set maliciously, the Government’s “senseless” policy was to blame.
The incident has been condemned by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar who said there was never any justification for this kind of act.
The fire broke out in the Ross Lake House near Oughterard late on Saturday evening causing extensive damage to the hotel. A spokesman for An Garda Síochána said gardaí are investigating the “criminal damage incident by fire”.
Speaking on Galway Bay FM on Sunday, Séamus Walsh, a Fianna Fáil councillor based in Moycullen, said nobody should condone a criminal act.
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However, he added: “We have to stand back and look at it that if it was a criminal act, what made that criminal act happen? It was the senseless policy of the Government.
“Rosscahill, Oughterard and Maam Cross have taken their fair share of immigrants. We are good to the people who are here. We cannot be scapegoated or used as a holding tank. It’s just not right what is being done to us.
“The people are living in fear. If it was done maliciously, it was absolutely the fear for the safety and wellbeing of their families that drove people to this,” he said.
Cllr Walsh has supported the blockade of the hotel, which is currently closed, and was being planned for use by 70 people seeking international protection.
The fire, which is being investigated as a criminal incident by gardaí, has been condemned by a majority of politicians, both nationally and locally.
In a long statement, the Taoiseach said he was deeply concerned at the incident, which follows a number of similar attacks on properties intended to provide accommodation for those seeking international protection.
Mr Varadkar said there were robust border controls, faster procession teams and record numbers of refusal for asylum applications.
However, he said like much of the world Ireland was dealing with a “major step-change” in the numbers arriving into Ireland. He said it was driven by war, poverty, climate change and human rights abuses in their home countries.
“I want to assure people we have a rules-based system and are processing applications in record time,” he said.
“The response from many communities has been incredible. We’ve seen people open their homes, schools, clubs and communities to help those most in need.
“The people carrying out these crimes are a very small minority. I believe most people in the country empathise with those fleeing truly terrible circumstances and recognise the benefits that legal migration, in general, brings to Ireland. I hope that as we continue through the winter, we can continue to treat those arriving here with the basic dignity and decency we would want for our own.”
He said the Government would continue to “listen to communities” and recognise the effort they are making, as they manage an unprecedented situation.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he utterly condemned the “criminal destruction at Ross Lake House Hotel in Galway”.
Mr Martin said on Twitter: “There is never any excuse or place for violence, hatred or intimidation. Those responsible for this criminal act do not speak for their community or this country.”
Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman has unreservedly condemned the fire. Writing on the social media platform, X, he said: “deeply disturbing news from Galway last night.
“Politicians across the board should condemn this disgraceful act and the fear mongering that led to it.”
His colleague Galway-based senator Pauline O’Reilly said that there was “stoking” of fears being practised by local politicians in Galway.
“There is silence from senior politicians in the area from both Government and opposition. I would ask everybody to come out and condemn this kind of behaviour because it’s simply not acceptable in our community,” she said on RTÉ Radio.
She said that strong action had to be taken by the Garda and that those responsible should “feel the full force of law”.
She said. “Nothing that is illegal, nothing that is criminal can be tolerated in our country.”
Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív added his voice to the criticism saying that if the fire had been set deliberately it was “totally wrong and should not have been done”.
The Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan described it as an unacceptable and worrying incident that should be condemned by all.
“There’s a seemingly malicious pattern,” he said on the X site. “Moville (Co. Donegal), Roosky (Co Roscommon) and now Rosscahill.”
There was also an incident in late November in Rosslare where another centre is being proposed. A firebomb attack resulted in a forklift teleporter, worth €80,000, being destroyed.
Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton, who is a TD for Galway West, said in a statement that violence and criminality was not representative of the views of the overwhelming majority of people in Galway.
Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell said: “I understand that the Gardaí are taking the investigation very seriously. This fire has shocked many people across Galway who have been in contact with me over the course of the morning.”
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