Both the physical damage to the county Galway hotel on Saturday night last and the narrative around it by a number of public representatives is very shocking and disturbing, according to Galway Independent deputy Catherine Connolly.

The deputy says that she was informed on Friday afternoon last by the relevant government authority that the Ross Lake Hotel in Roscahill was to be a location to accommodate asylum seekers.

She says the subsequent language/ narrative being used by some local representatives when speaking in the aftermath, is in some cases “dangerous” and certainly not acceptable.

The government’s classification of asylum seekers separate to Ukrainian refugees, with two very different support structures in place is contributing to the present problems, deputy Connolly believes.

She describes the present controversy between the gardai and the government as to who knew what when, the physical damage to the property, blockades and the narrative around the story as all “very murky”.

 She has been speaking to Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley...