In the working-class community, where life for many is a ‘daily struggle’, local activists say engaging directly with people with fears has calmed the mood
Videos and messages were shared, going viral from about December 27th, and members of the National Party arrived, as they had a few weeks previously in East Wall, distributing leaflets with such messages as: “House the Irish, not the world.”This week the Travelodge remains home to almost 200 asylum seekers, coming and going without apparent notice.
Gardaí maintained a high-visibility presence throughout, as residents inside the centre, especially those with children, feared possible violence. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris warned that far-right activists were using anti-asylum seeker protests for their own “sinister” agenda. The Pobal deprivation index, based on 2016 census data, classifies the small areas around the Travelodge as “very disadvantaged”, with up to 85 per cent of households in local authority rented homes. Just 3.8 per cent of adults have a third-level education. Unemployment is at 50 per cent, and 73 per cent of households with children are headed by a lone parent.
He points to figures from the Department of Equality showing, as of June 11th, of the 7,772 asylum seekers accommodated in Dublin, just six are in Dublin 4 – with 287 in Dublin 11, including 260 in Ballymun. Her sister gets information from Facebook. “She’s well educated. She’s on this fella’s page and he gives speeches. He sees what’s going on, what Government is covering up.”
Farrell doubts promises about increased resources, to accompany asylum seekers in an area, would be kept. When Ballymun was being regenerated, “we were to have a bowling alley, a new shopping centre, a picture house. We were to have a Metro North. Where did all the money go? People are fed up ... I don’t really blame these people that’s coming in. It’s the Government I blame.”
The centre, along with myriad other agencies in the community including schools, sports and voluntary agencies, and activists such as Scurry, developed the Ballymun For All group almost immediately. Other things have helped too: messaging from trusted locals such as footballer Philly McMahon, and ensuring asylum seekers themselves are involved in local activities such as Tidy Towns, the Sanctuary Runners, weekend park runs in Poppintree Park, and in the local Muck‘n’Magic community garden.
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