THE first group of residents are to move into a new Direct Provision Centre in Letterkenny before the end of February.
A group of asylum seekers who are in emergency accommodation in Portsalon will be a part of the first to be moved into the new centre.
A mobilisation inspection will be conducted on Friday to assess the recent work carried out, while Councillors from the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District are also to make a site visit in the coming weeks.
“They are on track for the first group of residents to be in by the end of this month,” Letterkenny-Milford MD Mayor, Cllr Donal Coyle, said.
Some of the first grouping will include whose who have been in emergency accommodation at Portsalon House since July 2019. Sixteen people from various families were relocated to Portsalon and they will be among the first residents at the ‘Port Road Accommodation Centre’.
The Direct Provision Centre will be located at former student accommodation buildings and will be managed by Bridgestock Care.
The centre will be able to cater for up to 60 families.
Supports and service provision for residents is set to be provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Department of Health and HSE, the Department of Education and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Children of school-going age living in the centre will attend mainstream primary or post-primary schools in the area. Meanwhile, adult residents will be linked in with the English language classes run by Donegal Education and Training Board.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said recently that a Letterkenny Friends of the Centre Group is being set-up to promote integration opportunities for residents. The initiative aims to bring residents, community members, sporting and voluntary groups together to provide greater community links.
This Friday afternoon, members of the Letterkenny MD will meet rover zoom for a presentation from a local intercultural group.
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