Mayo TD's anger over communities 'being treated like mushrooms'

Mayo TD Paul Lawless has highlighted the government’s ongoing failure to engage transparently with the public over the development of IPAS centres, following the Department of Children’s response to a series of parliamentary questions he submitted regarding the former St. Mary’s Secondary School in Ballina.

Deputy Lawless said: “When it comes to IPAS developments, the government is treating people like mushrooms — keeping them in the dark and feeding them dung. That is what is happening right across this country.”

The department has now confirmed that, “following assessment of suitability, the International Protection Accommodation Service is no longer considering this property for use.”

However, in the same response, it was stated that “if an offer is made in the future in respect of this site, it may be assessed again.”

Deputy Lawless described this as “an answer that answers nothing.”

“I submitted a parliamentary question about St. Mary's School in Ballina and the reply was astonishing.

"The department said that it is not being considered at the moment but may be again. When will the people find out? The works are continuing.”

Deputy Lawless raised the issue in the Dáil yesterday, calling out the lack of public consultation and the erosion of planning transparency.

“It has allowed a vacuum of information to develop whereby it is another day, another rumour.

"I refer to the Belmont Hotel, St. Mary's in Ballina, and most recently, Belmullet. I got a call the other day from a construction worker who was due to price a proposed IPAS centre in the town.

"This is how people are finding out – by accident.

“When will the government remove the planning circumvention which was designed to ensure that the people have no say in relation to what is happening in their community?”

Deputy Lawless called for full transparency and genuine local engagement in decisions about accommodation centres, especially when public resources and community services are involved.

“This government cannot continue to keep local communities in the dark, ignore local representatives, and expect social cohesion to follow.

"People deserve to be informed and involved in what’s happening in their own towns,” he added.