UKRAINIAN FAMILIES WHO recently moved into an estate in Clonmel, Co Tipperary have said they are in fear for their safety after a series of attacks and threats against them in recent weeks.

In one incident, a car had its windows smashed and was set alight by a group of youths.

Speaking to The Journal, one Ukrainian woman who asked for anonymity outlined a litany of incidents she and her family have faced since they moved in last July, including threats to their children, getting pelted by stones, and thefts from homes.

The modular housing estate, containing 82 homes, was built specifically to provide shelter for Ukrainian people escaping Russia’s invasion of their country.

The unfolding situation at the new housing estate was addressed by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan this week, who said he feared that violence was being “orchestrated for broader political purposes” in the town.

Some far-right groups honed in on the site over the past year as it was being built, with videos regularly posted on social media of the building progress and the people working on the houses. At times drones were used to take footage of the site.

Drones have been used to take footage of the site by far-right activists.

It’s understood that the attacks are mainly being carried out by a group of young people who live near the estate.

These sources said that the incidents started after security who had been hired to guard the site during its construction left once the homes were completed and opened during the summer.

A number of construction workers were set upon by a group opposed to the site in May last year, resulting in one worker being hospitalised.

The Department of Justice confirmed that after it learning of incidents of antisocial behaviour, it agreed to extend the provision of security at the site. However, the department confirmed this “security was wound down and ultimately completely removed from the site” on 8 September.

Just over a week later, late on the night on 16 September, the torching of a car owned by one of the residents took place.

Families met with gardaí following this incident.

“First they broke the window, then they put threw a bottle inside and burned all inside. There was strong rain which I think helped [to contain the fire], or else the outside of the car might have been burned,” the woman said.

A Garda spokesperson confirmed gardaí are investigating an incident of criminal damage by fire to a car that occurred between 10.45pm and 11.50pm that night. 

Following that incident, a number of the new residents who were witnesses met gardaí to report the incident.

“All we wanted is to feel we are safe, and we don’t feel we are safe right now,” the woman said. 

“It’s a foreign country, and it’s very hard to communicate and find a common language with each other. We don’t want conflict.”

She described how she has recently taken to rushing her daughters in off the street when some teenagers have appeared with up to six dogs off the leash.

The woman, her husband and their two daughters fled north-east Ukraine amid Russia’s continued attacks to come to Ireland 18 months ago.

They lived at accommodation provided by the State in Co Wexford before they had to vacate and move to Clonmel.

But the woman said she and her husband were reluctant to move to Clonmel as they were aware of other incidents that took place as the housing estate was being built.

“We knew the situation, we knew there were problems. We didn’t want to come here but we were told that if we refused then we’d have no rights to ask for, that we’d be on our own,” she said.

“Our neighbours don’t understand that some of us were forced to move here. We had no choice.”

Text messages read to Justice Minister

An Oireachtas Justice Committee meeting heard serious concerns expressed this week about the situation at Heywood Road.

Local Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy read aloud messages from one resident to the Justice Minister.

The messages described how Ukrainian families who live in the modular homes “constantly face a hostile attitude” since moving in.

“During this time, there have been busted windows, broken fences, stolen scooters and bikes. Our children constantly provoked. We fixed everything, called the guards, but the situation is escalating,” the message said.

Responding to Murphy, the minister said he was concerned by what lay behind the attacks.

“There should be no criminal damage that’s perpetrated on property. There should be no intimidation of individuals who are providing security. And I regret to say, I believe much of this has been orchestrated for broader political purposes,” O’Callaghan said.

Department response

In a statement to The Journal, the Department of Justice said it was treating these incidents seriously.

Officials have continued to liaise with housing body Tuath which oversees the estate.

It said a second follow up meeting with officials, Tuath, An Garda Síochána and Tipperary County Council has been scheduled for early next week to “address the impact of anti-social behaviour on the site and to discuss the actions that can be taken to curtail antisocial behaviour” in the area.