The Government's decision to take over Mosney holiday camp in Co Meath to house asylum seekers has come as a body blow for the Community Games organisers, their general secretary confirmed yesterday.
They had known for some time that the camp was facing financial difficulties, but this was their first - and final - real inkling that Mosney would no longer be a viable option, said Ms Maureen Quinlan. After she had taken the phone call from Mosney's owner, Mr Phelim McCloskey, she wasted no time and wrote to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, as follows:
"ESB Community Games were today informed by Mosney holiday centre that its facilities will no longer be available to them.
"Following approaches made by the Government, the centre in future will house asylum seekers. This in effect closes its use to 7,500 children who use it annually over three weekends. Your help to reverse the Government decision would be appreciated."
Similar letters were despatched to each Government Minister.
The Community Games must now seek alternative accommodation to Mosney at short notice. The Co Meath camp, with its "Olympic-style atmosphere" and secure, on-site accommodation for the games' national finals, will be extremely difficult to replicate, Ms Quinlan said. No other camp in the country has the facilities to accommodate the 6,000 children who take part in the event over the last weekend in August and the first weekend of September each year.
A Government spokesman confirmed that the contract had been signed earlier this week between the Directorate of Asylum Support Services and the camp's owners, to accommodate 500 asylum seekers in "chalet-type" accommodation. It is expected that they will move in within the next three weeks.
Although there is a provision in the contract which stipulates that the camp may open for specific events with the agreement of the owners and the Directorate, the organisers of the games believe that it is not a realistic option because of the numbers that must be accommodated at each of the three major annual weekends.
"I can't see how it would work with 500 beds taken up," said Ms Quinlan.
The Community Games have been running at Mosney for 25 years and the holiday camp has become synonymous with the event. Around 500,000 children take part in the games which covers 32 sports and cultural events - before county and provincial finals whittle down the numbers to the several thousand finalists.
"It is the kids' dream to get to Mosney for the finals with people like Sonia O'Sullivan, John Treacy and Niall Quinn, the big three names who have competed there." Ms Quinlan said.