Tipperary locals rally in support of refugees forced to relocate after five years: ‘Where will they go?’

Locals in Borisokan warned that it was “deeply unfair” to allow families to put down roots in an area, only to arbitrarily ask them to move out simply because they had lived there for a while.

Although the Borrisokane complex has been hailed as a “shining example” of successful assimilation in rural Ireland, quarrels have still broken out.

TippFM can reveal the government has issued new eviction orders to a group of up to 96 families living in Borrisokane Riverside Apartments.

The request was eventually accepted despite high-profile calls this summer for the families to be allowed to remain in the area, where some have lived since October 2019.

All the families involved were granted asylum after a lengthy assessment process – but their success in obtaining so-called “right of residence” status meant the government no longer considered them eligible for a particular Borrisokane accommodation.

Some families have children attending local schools, sports clubs and church groups.

Many of the adults in the group also work in the area.

All the residents have developed friendships in the area, so much so that when the eviction notice was first issued last March, locals reached out to them.

However, as they are no longer classified as International Protection Applicants (IPAs) through the assessment system, they must relocate to make room for new IPAs.

Currently, new arrivals to Ireland seeking asylum are required to stay at the Riverside Apartments.

Initial efforts to get the families out of the flats were suspended last July after locals launched a campaign to allow residents to stay.

These included a public meeting at the Borrisokane Church of Ireland Hall, which was attended by a large number of local people, including church, sporting and business groups.

Tipperary County Councillor Alan Kelly supported the local campaign.

“The people of Borisokan (in 2019) set an example of how newcomers should be treated,” he said.

“Now five years later, as many families have gained status, they have been evicted from their apartments in town. But where can they go?

“This is not integration. This is moving people away after they have already been integrated.”

“All children who attend primary and secondary schools and all those who have been in school for more than five years and who work and live in the community.

“For all these children, Borrisokane is their home and the idea of ​​picking them up and sending them to another IPA centre in Burr is completely wrong.”

Locals said it was “terrible timing” to ask the families to vacate the apartments just before the start of the new school year.

Furthermore, they said the families should be allowed to stay until they could find suitable alternative accommodation in the Borrisokane area.

Locals insist that if the families wish, they should be helped to remain in the area where they are fully integrated.

These families are willing to pay reasonable rent to the apartment owners.

“We’re hearing that these families want to stay here – they’re settling here, making friends here and hopefully raising their children here,” one local said.

“The government should support them in doing so.”

“This is an appalling way to treat families who have deep roots in the area.”

It is understood the affected families are deeply touched by the support they have received from the Borrisokane community.

A special committee has been set up to try to support the families’ requests to stay.

Margaret Donnelly, a member of the Borisokan liaison committee, said the latest developments had come as a shock to everyone in the community.

She said the families had been notified they needed to vacate the Borrisokane apartments by September 5.

The new IPA is expected to move into the complex within weeks.

Ms Donnelly said families who had been living in the Borrisokane area for years had been placed in emergency accommodation.

The site is believed to be in Birr, County Offaly, about 22 kilometres away.

Locals believe this is not a viable option for the families as they can only be housed in Burr temporarily for a period of time and will most likely have to move again after a few months.