The Government runs a serious risk of creating a ghetto in Mosney, Co Meath, if it goes ahead with its plan to locate 500 asylum-seekers in the holiday camp there, the Irish Refugee Council predicted yesterday.
The proposal will also mean the displacement of the national community games which have been held there since 1973, which was also wrong, said the council's chief executive, Mr Peter O'Mahony.
It was "a bad decision" all round, he said. The council, to the surprise of the community games' organisers, is formally supporting their campaign to have the Government decision to house the asylum-seekers at Mosney reversed.
"The camp, while good enough for accommodating people during the finals of the community games, is totally unsuitable for asylum-seekers who may find themselves there for up to two years," said Mr O'Mahony.
The Mayor of Drogheda, Mr Frank Godfrey, also deplored the fact there was no consultation with the local authorities (Meath County Council and Drogheda Corporation) before the contract was signed with Mr Phelim McCloskey, the holiday camp's owner.
Meanwhile, the community games general secretary, Ms Maureen Quinlan, has requested a meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, on the issue.