International protection centre opens at former Mayo sports facility

An international protection centre has opened at the former Breaffy Sports Arena, near Castlebar.

With a series of separate accommodation units created in a spacious two-storey property which previously hosted the Mayo Vaccination Centre, it is accommodating up to 200 people - including many women and children - from a number of nations.

The new centre is one of the finest of its type in the country with a range of support facilities put in place. Some concerns being raised across social media in relation to the centre are unfounded.

A number of local elected representatives have visited the site.

It is located beside the Breaffy Woods Hotel which is accommodating 300 Ukrainian refugees whom have been made very welcome in the local community.