The green field site at the rear of Carrigbrook and Willow Park which is being assessed for modular housing for refugees

By Suzanne Pender

CONSIDERABLE “unrest and misinformation” has surrounded the assessment of a site in Carlow town for modular homes for Ukrainian refugees.

At this week’s meeting of Carlow Municipal District, cllr John Cassin raised the issue of a site investigation at Tullow Road, Carlow as part of a national programme of rapid-build modular homes for refugees.

“There is a lot of unrest and misinformation and I would just like Carlow County Council to clarify who is assessing the site and how many are there going to be?” he said.

“What’s happening and who is responsible, because there’s a perception out there that Carlow County Council are the ones going to build the housing?,” added cllr Cassin.

Cllr Adrienne Wallace welcomed the assessment and “anything that will improve the living standards of migrants”.

“There is some genuine anger out there concerning services in the Tullow Road area and a feeling could they not spilt up the housing into different areas of the town rather than only going into a high-density area?” asked cllr Wallace.

Cllr Wallace accepted the “far-right are coming out of the rocks on this”, but asked that “genuine concerns are listened to” and that it should be a case of working with the community.

Acting director of services Kieran Cullinane confirmed the site investigation is relating to the housing of Ukrainians caught in the crisis, but that Carlow County Council is not involved in the project.