High Court judge to rule on Athlone asylum centre on Wednesday
Aoife Carroll SC, for the State, on Monday asked the court to put a stay on the quashing of the use of a statutory instrument that had been used to speed up the establishment of a controversial refugee facility at Lissywollen, Athlone, Co Westmeath, which is designed to house up to 1,000 asylum seekers.
Advertisement
The original action was taken by Independent Ireland Westmeath Councillor Paul Hogan, among others, who successfully applied to the court in December for a finding that the expedited development was unlawful.
Cllr Hogan is taking the case against the office of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
A Statutory Instrument is a secondary legislation, made by a Minister, modifying existing laws.
Cllr Hogan successfully claimed the Minister failed to adequately "screen" the project for potential environmental impacts and that the Minister lacked the expertise to carry out such assessments in an expedited manner.
Advertisement
Protests have been held in Athlone over the plan to further develop army-tent accommodation for the possible 1,000 asylum seekers, in up to 150 tents, on a site to the rear of an existing direct provision centre.
Ms Carroll on Monday said that while there had been 180 people in residence in December at the facility, only 137 remained and that amending legislation was presently to come before the Government.
Ms Carroll is applying to put a stay on the December order striking down the use of the statutory instrument used by the office of the Minister in expediting the development of the asylum centre.
Cllr Hogan, who secured 4.8 per cent of first preference votes running for Independent Ireland in Longford-Westmeath, claimed the ministerial process providing for the plan was "unlawful, irrational and a breach of fair procedures".
Advertisement
Oisín Collins SC with David O'Brien BL, instructed by solicitor Patrick Cunningham of PB Cunningham & Co, for Cllr Hogan, said the State should use existing planning laws to seek permission for the development rather than going to the High Court for a stay on the order quashing the statutory instrument.
Mr Collins said that if the court was to wait for corrective legislation it would be more productive to use planning laws, as the "appropriate mechanism".
Counsel said this did not mean the "shutting down" of the facility but rather the use of "appropriate enforcement notices".
Ms Carroll said that EU law requirements and legislative procedures were complied with but not entered into record, amounting to an "error" but that the situation was considered to be one of "emergency".
Advertisement
Ms Carroll said that the Minister was seeking a stay in circumstances where there are "significant risks that alternative accommodation could not be offered if the site was closed down".
Counsel said that the nature of the conceded breach in the use of the Statutory Instrument was "procedural, or technical, rather than substantial" and that legislation to correct the error was being put towards Cabinet "imminently".
Ms Carroll said that while the lack of a written environmental impact was an error, all other procedures had been adhered to. Ms Carroll said that there were "serious consequences for those involved and a serious risk to the dignity and safety" of the people residing at the Athlone facility.
Ms Justice Emily Farrell said she would deliver her judgment on the stay application on Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Fury as over 6,000 migrants use pre-paid cards loaded with £50 a week funded by YOU at betting shops & casinos
OVER 6,000 migrants have used government-issued cards loaded with £50 a week at betting shops and casinos. Pre-paid cards given out to pay for basics including food and clothing were used in gambling venues, Home Office data reveals. 1 In the last year, up to 6,637 asylum seekers have used taxpayer handouts to fund their gambling habits. At the highest incidence, 227 asylum seekers attempted to use or successfully used the cards to gamble in a week last November. While attempts to gamble online using the cards had been made, they were blocked each time so they were forced to use them in physical sites. There are currently around 80,000 ASPEN card users in the UK. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told PoliticsHome: 'It is shocking that over 6,000 illegal immigrants have attempted to use hard-working British taxpayers' money to gamble. "They have illegally entered this country without needing to – France is safe, and no one needs to flee from there. 'The British taxpayer has put them up in hotels, and now they slap us in the face by using the money they are given to fund gambling. 'These illegal immigrants clearly don't need the money they are given if they are squandering it at casinos and arcades.'
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Rosie O'Donnell sends pointed message amid her war of words with Trump
Rosie O'Donnell sent a pointed message after President Donald Trump threatened to revoke her American citizenship. The U.S.-born actress, 63, rocked a 'New York' themed outfit at the London premiere of the Burlesque musical. O'Donnell, who was born in the U.S. but now resides in Ireland, has been embroiled in a recent war of words with Trump, but has long been at odds with him. After Trump said he was seriously considering revoking Rosie's citizenship last week, she set out to fully embrace her American roots in unforgettable fashion on Tuesday. Rosie's paint-splattered grey jacket featured a repetitive 'New York' pattern along with a Big Apple design front and center. Even her trousers were inspired by her birth state. Rosie, who was born in Commack, New York, sported black trousers with 'New York' painted in neon across both legs. On the red carpet, Rosie continued her criticism of Trump as she recommended a list of musicals for him to watch. 'Hamilton, so he can actually learn about our founding fathers, and understand exactly what it means to have the role that he has,' she told Attitude. 'I believe he feels we're in a reality show and he's acting like it's some sort of ridiculous television program. 'Les Misérables. Must my name before I die, be more than just an alibi? Must I lie? How will I ever face my fellow man? How will I ever face myself again? My soul belongs to God, I know I made that bargain long ago. He gave my hope when hope was gone. He gave me strength to carry on. 'And probably the third one would be something like La Cage aux Folles. Just so he could know how wonderful gay people are and stop his ridiculous marginalization of us. And I stand in unison with every gay person all over the world, and especially trans people who are being marginalized by this very abusive government we have now in the United States.' Her appearance comes weeks after the president threatened to revoke Rosie's American citizenship, calling the comedian and longtime critic a 'threat to humanity' in a fiery post on Truth Social. 'Because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship,' Trump, 79, wrote to his Truth Social. 'She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!' Under US law, a president cannot revoke the citizenship of an American born in the United States. O'Donnell was born in New York state. She subsequently went scorched earth on Trump with a series of posts claiming Trump was on Jeffrey Epstein's client list and was a guest at the billionaire's infamous island. Over the course of almost a dozen posts the comedian and former chat show host laid into Trump and any association he may have had with Epstein, but some focused squarely on the president himself. 'Thirty-plus years of sexual abuse - The known victims,' O'Donnell posted earlier this month along with a profile shot of Trump and a list of women who have accused him of sexual abuse dating back to the 1980s. Earlier this month Trump said he was considering "taking away" the U.S. citizenship of his longtime rival Another posting showcased a photo montage showcasing Trump meeting Epstein and his convicted sex trafficker girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. In the center was a Truth Social from Trump pleading for people to 'STOP TALKING ABOUT EPSTEIN!!!!!'. Other posts designed to irk the president further saw a photoshopped picture of Trump wearing one of his signature red MAGA caps only with the words changed to read: 'I'm on the list' referring to the supposed client list Epstein kept. Earlier this month the White House has said that there is in fact no 'client list,' a narrative that some question. 'Let's not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about,' Trump later wrote on Truth Social, casting the controversy as a ploy to derail his political momentum. One of O'Donnell's messages earlier this month was aimed squarely in response to Trump's suggestion to revoke her citizenship. 'Hey Donald - you're rattled again? 18 years later and I still live rent-free in that collapsing brain of yours. you call me a threat to humanity - but I'm everything you fear: a loud woman a queer woman. a mother who tells the truth an American who got out of the country b4 u set it ablaze,' O'Donnell began. 'You crave loyalty - I teach my children to question power you sell fear on golf courses - I make art about surviving trauma you lie, you steal, you degrade - I nurture, I create, I persist,' she went on. 'You are everything that is wrong with America - and I'm everything you hate about what's still right with it. You want to revoke my citizenship? Go ahead and try, king Joffrey with a tangerine spray tan 'i'm not yours to silence i never was - Rosie.' Responding directly to Trump's threat she wrote how the president opposes her because she 'stands in direct opposition with all he represents.' 'The president of the USA has always hated the fact that i see him for who he is - a criminal con man sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to serve himself - this is why i moved to Ireland,' O'Donnell wrote in another posting that day. 'He is a dangerous old soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy compassion and basic humanity- i stand in direct opposition all he represents ... ur a bad joke who cant form a coherent sentence.' In other blatant attacks on Trump, O'Donnell posted artwork of the president stating 'He rapes', while in another she posted a tweet stating: 'Damn, I wish Trump would go after the Epstein list pedophiles the way he's going at Rosie O'Donnell rn.' Rosie has continued to share similar content ever since, including posts generally critical of Trump. O'Donnell, a longtime target of Trump's insults and jabs, moved to Ireland earlier this year with her 12-year-old son after the start of the president's second term. She has said she's in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage. O'Donnell, said in a March TikTok video that she would return to the US 'when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America.' Trump's outburst followed O'Donnell's July 7 HuffPost interview, in which she discussed her decades-long feud with him and her 2024 move to Ireland, made ahead of Trump's reelection. Trump's disdain for O'Donnell dates back to 2006 when O'Donnell, a comedian and host on The View at the time, mocked Trump over his handling of a controversy concerning a winner of the Miss USA pageant, which Trump had owned. 'I look at America and I feel overwhelmingly depressed,' O'Donnell, 63, said, citing her need to protect her mental health and care for her 12-year-old son, who has autism. 'I knew what [the Trump administration] was planning to do, because I read Project 2025. I know what he's capable of. And I didn't want to put myself through another four years of him being in charge.' Watching Trump's second term from abroad, O'Donnell added: 'I think it's as bad as everyone worried it would be. I believe fascism has taken a foothold in the United States.' She also criticized a new bill she claims grants Trump his own 'secret police,' with a budget 'greater than the money we give to Israel, which is already unbelievably high.' 'I look at America, and it feels tragic,' she said. 'I feel sad. I feel overwhelmingly depressed. I don't understand how we got here.' During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly brought up O'Donnell, including during the first Republican primary debate in August 2015. When moderator Megyn Kelly questioned his use of terms like 'fat pigs,' 'dogs,' and 'slobs' to describe women, he replied, 'Only Rosie O'Donnell.' Her name eventually resurfaced during a debate with Hillary Clinton, when Trump said, 'Rosie O'Donnell has been very vicious to me. I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree she deserves it.' O'Donnell responded in a now-deleted post on X, calling him an 'orange anus.' After Trump's first election, O'Donnell told W Magazine in October 2017 that she struggled to cope with his presidency, saying it took her a year to regain emotional balance. 'I seriously worry whether I personally will be able to live through [his presidency] and whether the nation will be able to survive,' she said. 'It's a terrifying concept, on the brink of nuclear war with a madman in charge.' Trump's latest jab at O'Donnell seemed to be in response to a TikTok video she posted this month mourning the 119 deaths in the July 4 floods in Texas and blaming Trump's widespread cuts to environmental and science agencies involved in forecasting major natural disasters. 'What a horror story in Texas,' O'Donnell said in the video. 'And you know, when the president guts all the early warning systems and the weathering forecast abilities of the government, these are the results that we're gonna start to see on a daily basis.' The Trump administration, as well as local and state officials, have faced mounting questions over whether more could have been done to protect and warn residents ahead of the Texas flooding, which struck with astonishing speed in the pre-dawn hours of July 4 and killed at least 137, according to Reuters.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Cops ESCORTING lefties IN to Epping to battle angry locals protesting over migrant hotel proves two tier policing exists
JUST when you thought our police forces couldn't get any more inept and ludicrous, along comes Ben-Julian Harrington. As you've probably seen, there has been a week of protests in Epping about the presence there of a hotel stuffed full of asylum seekers. 6 6 One of the migrants has been up in court charged with sexually assaulting a child. Locals say they don't feel safe in their little village any more. They are sick to the back teeth of it. And so they protested, as is their right. However, the whole thing turned very nasty when a bunch of deluded morons from Stand Up To Racism arrived to oppose the views of the locals. A battle took place, likely instigated by the lefties. A battle took place, instigated by the lefties. But it's now been revealed that the Stand Up to Racism rabble were escorted to the hotel where the demonstration was taking place. By the police. At first the coppers lied and said they hadn't escorted the lefties. Then, when footage was revealed of the coppers marching alongside the Stand Up To Racism shower, they fessed up. It is hard to imagine a more stupid action by the old bill. An action which also clearly showed a partisan approach by the police. They were on the side of the lefties. Nigel Farage has described the decision to escort the dunderheads as 'absolutely disgraceful'. He has also called for the Chief Constable of Essex to resign. The Chief Constable of Essex is the aforementioned Ben-Julian Harrington. This is the dimwit responsible for this dangerous, atrocious decision. His first reaction to events was to refuse to resign. Despite the fact that his force facilitated serious disorder on the streets of Epping. And enraged the locals who had been making their points peacefully. Police swarm 4-star London hotel set to house asylum seekers as furious protesters gather outside It is hard to credit, isn't it? They chaperoned people from outside the area into the trouble zone, seemingly to make things much, much worse. And in doing so immediately conveyed the impression that they had taken sides in the dispute. Can you imagine the coppers chaperoning Jews to a march being held by the Hamas groupies, for example? It just wouldn't happen. Ben-Julian Harrington has denied that his force showed a partisan approach. But the evidence suggests that the reverse is the truth of the matter. He should of course resign. And the people of Epping should be given an official apology for this incredible lapse in policing standards. Because this all plays very easily into the notion — surely by now a fact — that we have two-tier policing in this country. Shout hatred about Jewish people while marching in London in your stupid keffiyeh and the police will look on indulgently. Tweet something a bit nasty about setting fire to migrant hotels and you'll be banged up for 30 months. Demonstrate about the enormous number of migrants living for nowt in hotels up and down the country and the coppers will brand you far right and send in the heavies to break up the demo. But if you're on the other side of the argument, they'll actually give you a police escort and show you where the action is taking place. What happened in Epping will infuriate millions of people a long way from the borders of Essex. It is evidence once again that the authorities are not on the side of ordinary people. The police have become the politically correct upholders of injustice. NO ONE GETS OK TO STAY 6 ANGELA RAYNER has warned that we might be in for a summer of rioting. This follows a week of disturbances outside a hotel for migrants in Epping, Essex, and some bother in the Norfolk town of Diss. The Deputy PM has suggested this 'threatens social cohesion'. Too right, Ange. But what are you going to do about it? Nothing whatsoever is the answer. And then when the trouble does flare up, just blame it on the 'far-right'. It's not the far right, Angela. It's the voice of the country. We have had enough. Never mind what stupid international laws we break. Anybody who comes here illegally should be sent back. All of them. No exceptions. And no matter how grim their country of origin. MORE than 100 people have died of starvation in Gaza, say Palestinian officials. Mass starvation is a real threat. And yet Israel continues its policy of destruction. Gradually the country is losing all the friends it had in the west. I am a huge supporter of the Middle East 's only proper democracy. And yes, Hamas should return the remaining hostages. But enough is enough. You don't win wars by starving children. TOUR DE FARCE SO here's what happened when Holly Passmore returned from a short trip to Israel. A few days later the plod came knocking at her door. They asked her why she had been to Israel. She told them to mind their own business. Then the coppers came back with somebody from the Government's totally useless Prevent anti- terror team. They tried to cross examine her again. Incredible. Israel is not a terror state. Going to Israel – which many people do every year – does not make you a terrorist. It makes you a TOURIST. When are the police going to get real and sort out crimes that actually matter to people? IT'S LAST CURTAIN FOR OZ IT'S very sad to hear that Ozzy Osbourne has kicked the bucket. But honestly, how the hell did he reach 76? It's remarkable when you consider the legendary tales of excess. Having been the dark lord of heavy metal in the 1970s, he ended up a kind of national institution. Not bad going for a bloke who once sang: 'Would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope?', and who bit the head off a bat – and, reputedly, a dove. But he came across in later years as a rather loveable old Brummie. Truth is, no matter how seriously some of the fans took it, heavy metal has always had a big dose of pantomime in it. And Black Sabbath were probably more pantomime than most. RIP Ozzy. THE Government is to lower the voting age to include 16 and 17-year-olds. It says it is doing this to be more democratic. But it's really doing it because that age group is so dense they all vote Labour or Green. In other words, it is gerrymandering. If it was down to me, I'd raise the voting age to 25. And the age at which you can drive a car too, come to that. Two places we don't want 16-year-olds – in the polling booth and behind a steering wheel. SPOT OF LUNACY I'VE seen some hideous football strips in my time. Dulwich Hamlet's pink and black outfit for a start. Or there's Coventry City 's brown strip from the late 1970s. Or Arsenal 's away kit from two seasons ago that made the players resemble zebras with jaundice. But you'd have to go a long way to beat Forest Green's kit this season. It's kinda lime leopard print. The fans hate it. The only person who seems to like it is club owner and eco-loon Dale Vince. He reckons the shirts are eco-friendly. Probably made from chewed up and spat out bars of nougat. TAKE PRIDE IN LIONESSES FOR SEEING SENSE 6 WOW, you have to say this about the Lionesses. They are nothing if not tenacious. Twice now they've been down and out. And then come back from the dead. They're showing a bit of character politically, too. They are now refusing to do that stupid, demeaning gesture of taking the knee. It is astonishing that this ludicrous act of virtue- signalling is still being performed by football teams. We long ago dropped any pretence that Black Lives Matter was anything other than a thoroughly nasty organisation. So why continue with the gesture that made the group famous? It makes no sense. And, as the Lionesses have said themselves, it does absolutely nothing to combat racism.
