UPDATE: Protests at planned closure of Tougher’s refugee centre

PLANS to shut a former restaurant used to accommodate almost 150 Ukrainian men, women and children by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth over fire safety concerns in the run-up to Christmas may now be delayed.

The building, previously known as Tougher’s Restaurant, 9km from Carlow town, is now to close at the latest on 1 January. The premises were converted to accommodate Ukrainian International Protection Applicants in 2022 when Russia began its invasion of the country. The department has ended its contract with the accommodation provider and sources have confirmed that all of the Ukrainian families must leave before or on 1 January.

The families and schools the children attend locally received notification that they must leave last Thursday. While some of the families will remain in Co Carlow, many are being moved to Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick and Dublin.

In an update from the department on yesterday evening, a spokesperson explained that it had engaged with Carlow County Council and had asked the council to conduct a “follow up inspection” at the property “to see if any steps can be taken to address the safety concerns. The outcome of this will determine whether these moves can be delayed”.

The spokesperson added: “Notification of the intention to move the people living there was made in the interests of their safety. While the short period of notification regarding the move is unfortunate, this was unavoidable given the serious concerns raised.

“Where moves are necessary, the department aims to accommodate people in the vicinity, when and where possible. However, given the significant number of people at this location and the shortage of accommodation that the department has under contract in this area, it is possible that properties in other parts of the country will have to be used.

“We appreciate that this is a difficult situation for all those involved; however, we need to prioritise the safety of all residents.” A protest march by the residents and the local community took place outside the council offices yesterday lunchtime (Monday).

Olah Maxkamov (35), who is five months’ pregnant, and her husband Temur (32) along with their five-year-old son, her grandmother who turns 90 on 1 January, her mother-in-law and pet dog which they brought from Kiev when they fled Ukraine in August 2022, must leave the accommodation in two days’ time.

“We have been told that we have accommodation in Carlow town in a hotel and we all have to stay in one room, but we can’t bring our pet dog, which is 12 years’ old. But we can’t abandon our dog because he came with us from Kiev,” explained Ms Maxkamov.

“No-one came to meet us from the Department of Integration to tell us the premises was being shut down. We just received letters last week. My husband is working and we are paying our way here but we can’t find alternate accommodation in only a few days. Our son keeps crying as he will be separated from the friends he made where we have been living.

“In a way we are the lucky ones as we are not being moved to other counties. There are many being accommodated in Tougher’s who have jobs here and have their children in schools in Carlow. They can’t travel from Limerick or Dublin every day as many don’t have transportation. Numerous people are studying at South East Technological University Carlow and what will they do?” Ms Maxkamov added that there are children as young as a year old up to 90 years’ old being accommodated at the current premises. “We should have been given more time, like two or three months, to find appropriate accommodation ourselves but no-one consulted with us. Those living here are traumatised by this news,” she stated.

Local Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow/Kilkenny John McGuinness said that the department informing families that they must leave their accommodation within days is “abhorrent”, adding that “you wouldn’t treat animals” in such a manner.

“I would appeal to the department and relevant authorities not to allow this to happen. Surely they should sort out what needs to be done when it comes to fire safety. This situation did not just materialise in the past number of days. Families should not be discommoded in the first place, but particularly not at this time of the year – it’s quite shocking.”