Former school ‘could be refugee welcome centre’

As the world watches in horror at the worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Athlone's Deputy Mayor has mooted the possibility of a former secondary school building being used as a welcome centre or community hub/school for refugees arriving in the area.

Cllr Aengus O'Rourke, who has spoken directly to the new owners of St Aloysius College on the west side of Athlone, said he is “pleased to say that they are happy to engage with the department to make the school available”.

In his view, the former single-storey secondary school premises should be considered as it is “ideal and ready to go” in an urban location with the added advantages of good parking and ample grounds.

His call does not cover the two-storey Georgian house, which is used by a separate business.

The idea comes as a community effort has turned a former holiday centre in Roscommon into a unit that can accommodate up to 100 refugees.

Over 20,000 people have already pledged their accommodation to the Red Cross for use by arriving refugees.

“St Aloysius is a recently refurbished school, in great condition and is ready for immediate use, turn the heating on for a day or two and it's ready! It could also be used as a welcome centre for people arriving and a community hub for the Ukrainian people so they can gather and stay in touch with one another, while at the same time use it as a centre for integration with the local people too,” suggested Cllr O'Rourke, who has spoken to the new owners of the premises, who are not believed to be from the Athlone area, after the sale went through recently.

“I have made the authorities aware of the availability of St Aloysius, I hope to report progress soon,” the Fianna Fáil public representative continued, praising the response from the Irish people to the humanitarian crisis as amazing.

“Again, Ireland has shown itself to be compassionate and generous in support of a nation in terrible need, decimated by the actions of a dictator and war criminal.

“We really have stepped up to the plate as a nation, unlike our nearest neighbours in the UK, who in many ways are shamefully turning their back on the innocent people of Ukraine in their hour of need.”

With at least 6,000 people already now in Ireland from Ukraine, many, many more women and children are expected to arrive here in the coming days and weeks, accommodation will be key, but so too will the suite of public services that go with making a new place a home, he said.

“Education for the Ukrainian children is also absolutely crucial. While the circumstances these people find themselves in is anything but normal we should do everything we can to normalise things as much as possible for the time they are here.

“So, getting the children back into a regular routine of education and sport for example should be prioritised,” he pointed out, and it was with this in mind that he had spoken to the new owners of St Aloysius College about the proposal.