Buncrana Councillor Jack Murray has spoken out, after a shocking incident in Buncrana earlier this week.
It’s believed that a group of local people surrounded two buses, with asylum seekers who were to be housed in the centre of Buncrana, and stopped them from being able to enter their accommodation.
Local Sinn Fein Councillor Jack Murray addressed the situation on social media today, after a week of heightened tensions in the town.
It’s understood that the buses, with as many as 60 asylum seekers onboard, had planned to drop them off at a centre where there were only 19 available beds.
Cllr Murray says that “real, genuine, good people of the town are understandably worried about plans to house people they know nothing about, in what would seem to be an overcrowded and unsuitable location in the middle of the town. It has been done amidst a cloud of secrecy, without any consultation with the local community or stakeholders such as the HSE or educational services.”
“This situation has arisen from bad government policy, poor communication, planning, and a total lack of respect for the local community. Unfortunately, this has become a very profitable enterprise – rather than an issue of humanitarianism and compassion. Those human beings who are fleeing war shouldn’t be treated this way. Everything about it is wrong.”
He says that the scenes in Buncrana this week were the actions of “a very small minority who have manipulated this issue” within the community, and that “there has been language used that I feel is provocative and has heightened tensions, while some has appeared to be racist. That is reprehensible and needs to stop. It has no place in Buncrana and is not reflective of the people here.”
“Thankfully though, it has only come from a very small number of people and should in no way be attributed to the majority of people who simply want what’s best for the town.”
Cllr Murray also addressed online abuse he had received in the aftermath of the incident from some of those who were protesting.
“Frustratingly, I (and others) have since been targeted online. It has been coordinated and it has been very difficult to take. It has caused distress to people that I love and that is a line that I cannot allow to be crossed. Things have been posted publicly that have hurt. Private messages have been worse. In the middle of the night I recieved a copy and paste message that is clearly organised by someone who wants to do more damage.”
“I can take it. I can see it for what it is and it won’t stop me from continuing to carry out a role that I love and have always been very proud to do. I can hold my head high in our town and stand over everything I have done. My work as a public representative may be imperfect and I might (often) get things wrong, but I can hand on heart say that I’ve always acted with a sincere love for this community and with genuine intentions.”
