Picture: Keith Wiseman
THE image of three year-old Aylan Kurdi lying lifeless on a Turkish beach has been a turning point in Europe’s refugee crisis and one that has spurred thousands of people into action. Kathy Masterson talks to Limerick locals and public representatives to get their views on the crisis, and to find out what they’re doing to help.
On the convoy to Calais and beyond
A GROUP of Limerick volunteers are busy this week in a depot behind the former Cahill May Roberts building sorting through donations from members of the public that will be sent to refugee camps in Calais, Hungary and Greece.
Limerick to Calais, the local branch of the nationwide Ireland Calais Refugee Solidarity group, will send a convoy full of donated essential supplies to refugees in Calais on September 30, with further donations being shipped to Hungary and Greece.
In Calais, the goods will be distributed through a local aid agency, L’auberge des Migrants.
Donations bound for Hungary and Greece will be flown from Shannon Airport and will be distributed by other aid agencies overseas.
The Ireland Calais Refugee Solidarity organisation is also collecting donations online through GoFundMe.
Calais coordinator Nadine Buttery says donations are flooding in.
“It’s all systems go here at the moment. We’ve got about 25 people sorting through the items. We’ve got an amazing bunch of people volunteering here. We’ve had a huge amount of donations already; the response has been really good.
“We’ve got our scouts checking that all the tents are in good working order, and we’ve got loads of really nice toiletries bags put together. We’re already sorting through the women’s and children’s clothes for Hungary, they will be flown out from Shannon. Nothing will go to waste.”
Nadine added: “We’re also really looking for people to donate online through the GoFundMe site. That’s very important. That money is going to pay for donations to be shipped to Hungary and further afield, and it will go towards further operations and programmes to keep this whole thing going.”
A second group based in Kerry, Help for Humans, which is collecting donations to take and distribute to refugees in Greece, has four collection points in Limerick city, and will be leaving in a convoy on September 30.
The group is also collecting online donations through GoFundMe.
Limerick coordinator Vivienne Nagle told the Limerick Post: “I saw the page on Facebook and saw that it was doing something to help the refugees and that they didn’t have anybody yet to collect donations in Limerick so I said I’d get involved.
“We’re looking for warm clothes, blankets, anything to help people to survive the winter. At the moment people are sleeping on cardboard boxes and they don’t have anything.
“We’re also looking for more people to get involved and for people to bring vans on the convoy, or to pick up donations from the collection points.”
Costa Coffee branches on Cruises Street and in the Crescent Shopping Centre and Childers Road Retail Park, as well as Pizza Galaxy on Ellen Street, are all accepting donations for Help for Humans.
Most Limerick politicians fail to respond
LAST week, the Limerick Post contacted all TDs in the Limerick City and County constituencies, the four Ireland South MEPs, and Limerick Senator James Heffernan, with a list of questions seeking their views on the refugee crisis.
At the time of going to press, and at the deadline specified in our emails for responses, just two public representatives had replied – Limerick City Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea and his party colleague, Limerick County TD Niall Collins.
A representative for Independent MEP Brian Crowley stated that he was currently undergoing medical treatment in hospital and was unable to respond. A representative for MEP Seán Kelly (FG) contacted the Limerick Post but had not supplied a response at the time of going to press.
The Limerick Post received no reply from the remaining public representatives contacted.
The questions and answers were as follows:
What are your views on Ireland’s response to the refugee crisis in Europe so far? Do you think it’s adequate?
Niall Collins – The Government has been extremely slow to respond to the crisis and even now has been very vague in its response.
Willie O’Dea – The response to the refugee crisis by Ireland is not nearly adequate enough.
Do you think Ireland should accept more refugees? If so, how many?
NC – Yes. Fianna Fáil believes Ireland can and should do more to help refugees fleeing Syria in particular because of the nature of the conflict there. Fianna Fáil has not set a specific number because we believe the focus should be on what level of support can be provided. There will be particular medical, language and educational needs that will need to be met and we believe the government should be focusing on how best those services can be provided.
WOD – Yes, I think a quota system should be established and we should take our quota.
What actions, if any, do you think Europe as a whole needs to take to address the refugee crisis and its causes?
NC – Fianna Fáil has been calling for a national forum on migration to be held here and we have also sought a specific EU Leader’s Summit on the refugee crisis. There is no strategic approach as the EU is forcing countries to act unilaterally and this is not in the best interests of the union as a whole.
WOD – European countries need to create a quota system for accepting refugees.
What are your views on Angela Merkel’s recent criticism of Ireland for its failure to participate in the quota scheme for housing refugees?
NC – We believe Ireland can and should be doing more. It’s clear now that the Government will increase the number of people Ireland can take.The German Chancellor is entitled to her view. Clearly Germany is much better placed to provide more support than Ireland and this is to be commended. We believe there needs to be great urgency and greater co-operation at EU level in response to the humanitarian emergency.
WOD – I think she is right as I believe we should be participating in any quota scheme established for housing refugees.
Will you personally be taking any action to help address the crisis? If so, what?
WOD – I have no direct power as I am not a member of the Government, however, I will be pressing the Government on the issue when the Dail resumes.
Council to discuss how to assist refugees
LIMERICK’S Metropolitan councillors will discuss how they can help those caught up in the refugee crisis across Europe at their next meeting on September 21.
Cllr Cian Prendiville says his party, the Anti Austerity Alliance, will be submitting a motion asking what the local authority can do to assist refugees.
The City North councillor made the pledge following a demonstration attended by more than 100 people in Limerick city centre last Saturday to express solidarity with refugees fleeing war zones in the Middle East and North Africa.
It also emerged that almost 200 people in Limerick have pledged to house refugees through an online campaign on Uplift.ie.
Speaking at Saturday’s demonstration, Cllr Prendiville said: “So far this year over 2,500 people have died trying to get refuge in Europe in the Mediterranean alone. These tragic deaths are reminiscent of the thousands who died fleeing Ireland on the Famine Ships, and are a clarion call to all of us to step up the fight against Fortress Europe and its racist immigration policies.
“The outpouring of solidarity, and sympathy from ordinary people in Ireland and across Europe stands in stark contrast to the crocodile tears of the political establishment. Over 11,500 beds have been pledged to house refugees by ordinary people in Ireland, while the government twiddles its thumbs.”
According to Cllr Prendiville, the response to the weekend’s demonstration, and the number of beds pledged, shows that “ordinary people here stand in solidarity with those suffering in this humanitarian crisis. Hopefully Limerick councillors will reflect that solidarity.”
He also slammed the government’s response to the refugee crisis so far, saying: “They don’t care about the homeless, the unemployed, the working poor, the EU and USA’s imperialist policies that are destroying the Middle East or those who have had to flee their home country as a result.”
How You Can Help
* The Limerick to Calais group, based at the old Cahill May Roberts building, is seeking donations of clothes, tents, toiletries and other essential items, as well as volunteers to help process the donations. Items can be deposited at the building from 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Donations can also be delivered to the Willow Cafe in Pallaskenry or the Seven Sisters Pub in Kildimo. See www.facebook.com/LimericktoCalais
*Donate to the Ireland Calais Refugee Solidarity fund on www.gofundme.com/9zwfscys
* Help for Humans is a Kerry-based group collecting donations to distribute to refugees in Greece. All three Costa Coffee branches in Limerick are accepting donations, as is Pizza Galaxy on Ellen Street. See www.facebook.com/helpforhumansireland, also collecting online donations on http://www.gofundme.com/c42er9ac
*Pledge a bed to a refugee on uplift.ie/pledge-bed/
*On September 30, a table quiz in aid of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) will take place at Dolan’s Pub at 8pm
* There are a number of other charities working with refugees across Europe, such as UNICEF, Concern, Save the Children, and MOAS that are urgently in need of donations.
* Slings for Solidarity Ireland is collecting donations of baby slings and carriers to send to Greece. See www. facebook.com/slingsforsolidarityIreland. Online donations for a similar organisation, Carriers for Kos, can be made on www.gofundme.com/t33f64ww
Items required
* Trainers, hiking boots, wellies
*Tents (4 person+), sleeping bags, blankets
*Jackets, travelling bags, belts, hats and scarves, winter clothing
*Socks, underwear, vests, thermals, mens’ tracksuits, trousers and jeans size 28-32
*Soap, toothbrushes, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, tissue, wet wipes, toothpaste
*Plastic bags, pots, candles, tarpaulins, camping items such as wind up lights or radios, collapsible water storage containers
*Tools for fixing bikes, pumps, puncture repair kits.
*Women’s and children’s clothing and shoes
*Feminine hygiene products, nappies
* Medical and first aid supplies (no prescription medications accepted), such as non-latex gloves, aspirin, sterile gauze pads, bandages, antiseptic wipe packets, compress dressings, oral thermometers. See Cork Calais Refugee Solidarity Facebook page for more.
* Tinned food (Help for Humans donations only, not required by Limerick to Calais)
