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“We don’t know what to do – we are desperate” – Ukrainians shocked at last minute Mayo move

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ISSUE: Brendan Griffin TD will raise the issue of moving the Ukrainians to Mayo in the Dáil today (Tuesday).

By Michelle Crean

With less than 24 hours until an unexpected move 300kms across the country, Ukrainian women and children in Killarney are desperately pleading to political leaders to help them keep their accommodation.

135 Ukrainian women and children have settled and built their lives while accommodated at Hotel Killarney on the Cork Road since last March. Children have made friends and many of the women found jobs locally.

However, that's now all up in the air after they received a letter with just 48 hours notice to move to Westport tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12pm - following the arrival of up to 190 male refugees from a number of countries including Algeria, Albania, Georgia, Syria, Palestine and others.

According to Ukrainian Dina Kukushkina who works in Reens Pharmacy, it's been a huge shock for them.

"We don't know what to do, we only have one day left," she told the Killarney Advertiser.

"We got a letter yesterday (Monday) with information that we have to move on Wednesday to Mayo."

The Ukrainians are in Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive which allows them to work. They have spent the last seven months settling into life in Killarney making friends, putting children in local schools and finding jobs.

Dina said that they had no prior notice that the men were arriving - the first they knew, she said, was at 11pm one night last week when they started passing through the corridors of the hotel.

"We were very shocked. We just looked from behind the door, a lot of men were passing through, we didn't expect that."

She said that the children will be re-traumatised if they have to move and settle into new lives again.

"We don't have any other choice. We are desperate, we are trembling. It's crazy for our children. We have started to build our lives here and settle. I found a good job and started to feel confident again. We are very grateful to the government and people of Ireland and especially Kerry for helping us and for the feeling of safety for our families."

Kerry TD Brendan Griffin will today (Tuesday) raise the issue as a matter of an emergency in the Dáil.

He said that he has tried numerous times to contact Roderic O'Gorman, TD and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to get some answers.

"This is scandalous," he told the Killarney Advertiser.

"The message it is sending out to Ukrainians is 'no matter what support you're getting - don't rest easy as you could be moved'. This is so wrong, for the children in particular who have settled and got a routine in their lives, to move them 300kms away. Their new lives are in Killarney now. The lads [men refugees] are far more mobile, they haven't put down roots. The children will be traumatised."

He added that one option for the women and children is to refuse to get on the bus tomorrow but that comes with a further risk.

"There's a great unease about moving but if you go against International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) you're thrown out of the system."

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Massive Park Road housing development given green light

A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road. The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near […]

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A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road.

The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near An Post’s sorting office, will include a variety of properties from five-bed houses to single apartments, along with a crèche and over 500 car spaces and over 300 bike spaces.

The development has been welcomed by local councillor Martin Grady.

“Killarney has a massive housing shortage so this is very positive. It will retain young families in the area, stimulating economic growth,” he said. “After 17 years of different planning applications it’s finally coming to fruition.”

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Ballydribeen residents living in fear due to anti-social behaviour

Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate. Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits […]

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Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate.

Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits in the last week.

Local councillor Martin Grady told the Killarney Advertiser that residents are “living in fear” as a result of very serious incidents in the last week alone.

One house in the estate was badly damaged when fire crackers were placed inside a letter box.

Another house had its windows smashed in over the weekend.

“It’s a major problem,” added Grady after meeting residents there earlier this week.

One of the most serious incidents occurred on Tuesday night.

A passing motorists had rocks thrown at his car while driving along the bypass whch is adjacent to the estate.
Taking to social media, local primary-school teacher Pádraig O’Sullivan posted:

“Travelling home tonight, at 11.05pm on the Killarney side of the bypass our car was hit by a rock – not a pebble – from the Ballydribben side , which hit the passenger door.

“It was centimetres away from hitting the window where my father, who is visually impaired, was sitting.

“This could have caused catastrophic permanent injury to him.

“The Killarney Garda were on the scene within three minutes.

“They can’t be patrolling the bypass all night.

“It comes down to parenting. You should know where your children are at this hour and be able to teach them what’s funny and what ruin a person’s life or cause a fatal crash.“

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