Protests at several locations in Ireland started in early November after the development of sites in various parts of the country as temporary asylum seeker shelters by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth DCEDIY , as it attempted to accommodate the influx of 65, refugees during The presence of anti-immigrant protesters, members of far-right groups and violent criminals at these protests has been highlighted online and in the media , [ 7 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ] and 17 people have been arrested at the protests in as of August [update].
Protests at several locations in the north and west of the Republic of Ireland started in November against the placement of refugees in direct provision centres in rural locations. Anti-immigrant members of far-right groups were involved in some of the protests. Alongside almost all other European countries, Ireland accepted Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war; by mid-November over 58, Ukrainians had come to Ireland. Protests organised by Carlow Says No took place in Carlow town in the South East of the country over the planned housing of 50 asylum seekers in the former Capuchin Friary building on Dublin Street.
It was converted into an emergency accommodation centre and it is to be managed by Gateway Integration Ltd for at least 12 months starting from December Various reasons for the protest have been cited including: the lack of prior consultation with residents about the arrivals, [ 19 ] the potential overcrowding of children's facilities, [ 15 ] that the building is reportedly not fit for purpose, [ 40 ] and the lack of women and children in the initial group, [ 9 ] though local residents have described the protests as embarrassing.
The only people staying at the building as of 25 November [update] were around single males who had arrived from Citywest and Athlone , [ 19 ] [ 20 ] or who were previously living in tents , but the DCEDIY said that the next group to move in would be families. The protests also quickly became used by far-right groups such as the National Party and Irish Freedom Party to promote their ideologies, including Euroscepticism and extreme forms of Irish nationalism.
On 28 November and 5 December , protesters blocked access to the Dublin Port Tunnel , [ 49 ] leading to diversions, and a group of the protesters identifying as the "East Wall Protest Committee" have held further regular protests at the tunnel and on the East Wall Road , [ 50 ] [ 51 ] [ 52 ] on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays as of November [update]. The committee paused their protests to meet with Roderic O'Gorman the minister leading the DCEDIY , Paschal Donohoe the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform , and another committee but Steenson said prior to the meeting that he had no intention of ceasing the protest if the centre was not closed within seven days.
