Anger at Laois over Ukrainians being housed in Stradbally tents

Tempers frayed and divisions emerged in Stradbally at a public meeting called quickly in response to the use of tents on the Electric Picnic to house Ukrainians fleeing war in Russia.

No officials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth were present to face questions from local people who were angry at not being consulted as well as being fearful and suspicious about who would be housed in Stradbally.

Locals were not at a point of blockading the site. Some speakers spoke about the need to support the people who would be accommodated under the contract which could see up to 750 people being accommodated in the town under the six contract. 

The first of the Ukrainians arrived on Tuesday, September 6 after flying into Dublin airport earlier that day. All 27 were either women or children.

There was unity on the lack of consultation and information from both the Government and the site owner and local man Thomas Cosby.

He was left to face ire over the use of bell tents for six weeks for those who have fled war. Mr Cosby signed a contract with the Department on September 1 after being approached two weeks earlier.

Also facing the questions at the meeting attended by about 300 people, was Shane Coady of Pastures New Limited. He is the Site Manager. Just three public representatives attended, Cllr Paschal McEvoy, Cllr Padraig Fleming both of Fianna Fáil and Independent Cllr Aisling Moran.

They faced a storm of frustration at the meeting which took place outdoors under the canopy of the Market House. It was called by local woman Louise Buggy. She explained what motivated her to call the meeting.

"There was no consultation with the Department or Thomas Cosby or any resident on the decisions that were being made. We welcome genuine refugees who were fleeing the war. That is not the concern. 

"But, where is the guarantee that after six weeks these people will be housed? That hasn't been resolved. That is not just an issue for the residents but it also an issue for the people (Ukrainians) who are facing into the winter.

She questioned where would the residents be moved to after six weeks. "We are in the midst of a housing crisis. Where will these people be housed if accommodation is not found in six weeks? What happens then?"

She insisted that there was plenty of time for consultation with the public in advance of the contract being signed as Mr Cosby was first approached in the middle of August.

Speakers raised questions about the local ability to cope with the arrival of up to 750 people.

"Are there going to be more guards?  We have one garda who is very rarely here," said one man.

Questions focused on the profile if the refugees and who they were and wanted Garda vetting to be carried out.

The meeting meeting was asked: "Are they garda vetted? Have they a criminal record? If that busload isn't garda vetted is the next busload".

Another woman asked if there were any disabled people to be housed. 

The lack of information was a bone of contention for many.

"We got no information. No information breeds misinformation," said a local.

Another speaker raised the issue of security.

"If it is to be 750 people, the population of Stadbally is 1,500 you are going to increase the population by 50%. Is the garda presence going to increase by 50%?"

The same man asked about the security of the site.

"We hear stories in other towns of anti-social behavior, attacks on women, and other stuff. I am not saying these people are going to do that but you have to have security measures in place," he said.

Another speaker questioned the lack of an assessment on whether or not Stradbally could cope.

He said: "Have you done a logistical impact of introducing 750 people to a village of 1,400 with no amenities whatsoever? Where will they go all they long? What will they do?".

There were a lot of fears about the length of the contract and whether it would become a long-term transitional hub for Ukrainian refugees beyond the six-week time frame. 

"If it is to be a transitional hub it is a never-ending cycle of six weeks," said a speaker.

Another local said the people of Stradbally have welcomed and hosted numerous events over the years such as the Electric Picnic.

"Everybody here welcomes everybody in and there is never an inch of trouble," said a speaker.

Cllr Aisling Moran interjected at this point to ask Mr Cosby.

"How would you feel if they started saying, that's the end of the Electric Picnic"? It was a question that led to a round of applause.

Cllr Moran added: "You have to have respect for the people".  

A man who said he worked in a refugee centre for six years claimed that 95% of people 'lied about where they were from'. He asked Mr Cosby and the Pastures New site manager what experience they have in the refugee centre.

While there was an insistence that there was no personal animosity toward Mr Cosby, Some people were also angry at the lack of access to local people to public access to the Stradbally estate when it was closed off as an amenity for local people. 

He was also challenged to donate some of the money from the Ukrainian contract to the local community for local facilities.

One woman asked: "Why can't you help out the residents here in Stradbally? We put money in your pocket with the Electric Picnic. We have no community hall. We have nothing for the kids."

While many were fearful of not having been consulted, there were calls on the community to welcome and help those who had fled the war.

A number of speakers from Laois Integration Network spoke.

"We have women and children coming from war-torn countries, is there anything we can do to help," asked Pauline Madigan who is a member of the Laois Integration Network board.

Karen McHugh, LIN chair. She spoke about the help given to Syrian refugees.

However, when she mentioned that she lived in Portlaoise, she was challenged by some about not being from Stradbally. But, she continued.

"We as Irish immigrants had to leave this country in famine times. We have a history" she said.

The replies from a number of speakers were: "Get out the violin now...We heard it before...that's irrelevant this is our town...You're not from Stradbally".

Ms McHugh was supported by a local man.

"Our history is steeped in emigration. I worked for two years years," he said.

He was also challenged.

Another member of the Network who spoke was also interrupted and told she was not from Stradbally. 

However, one local woman insisted on being heard.

"We have a moral, civil, political, and Christian duty to look after people who have suffered and I am quite sure, almost 100%, that most of the people in that group called the 750 are individual people for one reason or another have had to pack a bag come to a strange country without the language culture to end up in the middle of a field.

"I would like contact details to help. I spent my life as an educator and I am certainly willing to give my service as an educator to assist in whatever way I can. I absolutely strongly object to a statement that anyone who enters our town they should be Garda vetted. We have never asked that an Irish person coming to live in this town be garda vetted other than they are coming here for a while," she said.

Another local man Michael Buggy was on the side of helping.

"What I would say to townspeople is that I am one of you for the past 70 years and we can give these people a chance and an opportunity. Everybody here has a house to go home to so let's do something for them rather than against them," he said.

Mr Coady fielded many of the questions. He explained that all of those who arrived on the first day had their documents and passports. He said they were not like other refugees who arrived claiming to have lost their passports.

"These are not people arriving into your town undocumented...They all have documentation we know who they are. They all come with a passport. They are predominantly women and children," he said.

He said they had not been garda vetted. He said that nobody over four or over 60 would be accommodated. He was unable to give the gender breakdown of people expected to be living in Stradbally. He did not rule out that males would be.

Mr Coady explained that food is prepared off-site with waste also removed. 

He said security staff are vetted and licensed by the Private Security Authority. Five were assigned to the site on day one.  

As to the length of the site's use, he said it would be limited.

"The Government have said it us that coming into the winter we won't have people in tents," he said.

Mr Cosby attempted to explain the background to the contract.

"I apologise for the fact there was no consultation. Can you appreciate that this is something that took a minimum of a month probably more to organise. By the time the contracts were negotiated and signed it was the Friday night of the Picnic we couldn't have a contract because of the Picnic.

He said the reason this is happening is because student accommodation is no longer available.

Mr Cosby described the last two weeks as 'a nightmare' and referenced that dispute with farmers over the Electric Picnic's new date for the 2024 harvest as another issue he has had to deal with.

He said the Gardaí have a policing plan while the GPs would not be impacted and the HSE would have a presence on the site.

He told the people that he did not believe the accommodation of women and children was 'going to be a major issue' for the community.

He welcomed offers of help. He encouraged the community to be welcoming and not to be "suspicious or terrified" of the refugees.

On the issue of access to the grounds, Mr Cosby said that it was stopped due to litter and vandalism.  

He indicated that the site would not become a transitional hub and would not be used beyond the six weeks but stopped short of a complete commitment.

"I cannot guarantee everything in life but what I am told is that they will be able to rebook hotels at the end of September when the tourist season comes to an end.  That is not my theory that is the Department's theory," he said. 

Mr Cosby suggested that the meeting would be convened within a week of the site opening to assess the impact.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy spoke towards the end of the meeting.

"We should have found out and we should have been told earlier but they are coming now and they are not going to be stopped coming," he said.

He made an impassioned plea to people to understand the background of the refugees.

"These are people. Please just think about where they are coming from. They don't want to come from Ukraine to live in a field in Stradbally. Think about that. Can you imagine the fear that is in the women and children that are here? Their husbands are over in Ukraine some will be killed tonight. Can we not just think of those people for once," he said.

He agreed with the proposal to meet again within a week to assess the situation.

"If there is a problem I will be the first to say close the gate. I promise you that but please give them the opportunity," he said.

Cllr Padraig Fleming said he has found the Ukrainians already living in Laois.

"They are all very respectful and nice people. I have met a lot of people who have come from tragic circumstances. I would say they will be lovely people who will come in here. I would reckon most of you will absolutely welcome them," he said.

Cllr Fleming said councilors had been given a commitment on the timeframe by Government Department officials.

"It was made very clear to us that it was to be used for six weeks only," he said.  

A meeting concluded with an agreement to meet after a week of the Ukrainians being accommodated in the town to gauge.