Newtown Asylum Seekers Moved To Dundrum

River Lodge Trudder MAR24

atest press release from Newtown Together, issued on Thursday, November 21st 2024…

Newtown Together welcomes the decision to ensure the safety and dignity of asylum seekers in our community by moving people into safer, warmer conditions on the tented site in Dundrum.

As a community advocacy group made up of people living Newtownmountkennedy, we are committed to asylum seekers’ inclusion, integration and advocacy.

“We had to work hard for to make sure this Government acted, as people were sleeping in freezing cold, damp tents. Everyone deserves a safe, warm home – no matter who we are or where we were born. This move is a profound relief and a testament to the power of community advocacy,” said Rachel Dempsey of Newtown Together.

The Department of Integration’s decision comes after Newtown Together highlighted the risks posed by the inadequate tented accommodation, especially during the current weather warnings for low temperatures. The new facility in Dundrum is equipped to provide a more suitable living environment during this critical time.

The Dundrum tents…

“We have always maintained that the basic human right to adequate shelter cannot be compromised,” stated Melissa Bosch of Newtown Together. “These men are part of our community, and our moral obligation is to ensure their well-being.”

Newtown Together’s advocacy efforts focussed on calling for the immediate provision of adequate and safe housing to replace the temporary and inadequate tented accommodation. It also focussed on ensuring access to healthcare services for all individuals, a necessity that becomes even more pressing in light of the cold weather. Newtown Together demanded transparency in the asylum process to ensure that the rights of asylum seekers are respected and upheld.

Newtown Together remains committed to working alongside asylum seekers, the Department of Integration, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the rights and needs of asylum seekers are prioritised not just in times of crisis but consistently and compassionately.

Newtown Together was established in May 2024 by a concerned group of residents to encourage peaceful integration and to call for increased support for a growing town.

You can find out more about Newtown Together by following on Instagram here or Facebook here.