All sides slam State as Oughterard DPC plan is finally scuppered

THE Government – and the Department of Justice in particular – have been lambasted by all sides for their handling of the Oughterard Direction Provision Centre (DPC) proposal, after it was dramatically scuppered this week.

The promoter of the Direct Provision project, Seán Lyons, confirmed on Galway Bay FM on Tuesday, that he was withdrawing his proposal in the wake of weeks of local protests.

However, Mr. Lyons speaking on the Keith Finnegan programme, slated the Department of Justice for the lack of support they had given to him – and also for their failure to provide information on the project to the local community.

A lengthy statement then issued by the Department on Tuesday also confirmed that ‘a bidder’ [Seán Lyons’ company] ‘had chosen to withdraw from the tender process from the western region’.

“This is a development which will ultimately exacerbate a very serious situation in terms of a shortage of accommodation for those who come to Ireland seeking accommodation and requesting State services,” the Dept. of Justice stated.

But local Independent councillor, Thomas Welby, accused the Dept. of Justice of ‘gross mis-management and mis-handling’ of the proposal and said that the Department ‘should hang their heads in shame’ over how they had conducted themselves.

“This was being presented to us as a fait accompli where there wouldn’t be one word of consultation or communication with the local community until the tender had been awarded and signed.

“Surely the Dept. of Justice must realise at this stage that this is no way to carry on; no way to treat a decent and fair-minded community; and indeed, no way to try and find suitable accommodation for asylum seekers,” said Cllr. Welby.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.