The owner of the former Sacred Heart Convent and Secondary School in Roscrea and the Minister for Integration, Roderick O’Gorman are being asked to engage with local people.
The call from local Councillor Shane Lee comes amid speculation that the buildings are to be used to provide accommodation for up to 400 Ukrainian people who are fleeing the war in their country.
He says education, health services and Garda resources are already under pressure locally.
The independent representative says lessons should have been learned from recent events across the country about the need for consultation.
“Just reading between the lines you’ve somebody probably sitting in an office that has not done the groundwork on this. I’m calling on the Minister and the owner of the Sacred Heart Convent Secondary School to come out and inform the people of exactly what’s happening within the secondary school.
“What’s the secrecy about? There’s a huge amount of secrecy around all this type of thing and I suppose from a Government perspective we’ve all seen what’s happened right across the country and have they learned anything from what has happened?”
Councillor Shane Lee say he fears protests like those which happened in Co Clare recently with people blocking roads over the lack of engagement in relation to the housing of asylum seekers in a local hotel.
“It has been said to me that if someone doesn’t come out to answer as to what’s happening that that is probably something that could happen. I suppose Roscrea is a very unique town and the people are very kind and very generous and there’s a lot of positive things happening in the town of Roscrea and this is the last thing that people need or people want. I just for the life of me cannot understand the secrecy.”
