A WEST Cork TD has expressed concern that an asylum seeker, who appeared in court in Killarney earlier this week on violent disorder charges, is to be moved to Clonakilty Lodge, the town’s direct provision centre.

An Algerian asylum seeker was charged along with seven others with violent disorder or threatening to use unlawful violence at Killarney District Court, which heard that he is to live at Clonakilty Lodge until his trial date.

Deputy Michael Collins described this move ‘as totally wrong.’

He said any asylum seekers involved in criminality should be detained until their trial happens and not moved to another town.

‘Conditions have been put on this suspect before sending him to Clonakilty Lodge but this is an outrageous decision by the State,’ the Goleen man said.

Deputy Collins said: ‘Gardaí admitted in court that they had no documentation on one of the main suspects but that the French authorities have as all asylum seekers have to have documentation before entering France, which this suspect did.’

The TD said he contacted the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman about the matter. 

‘I’ve asked him to immediately adopt a strict policy that all asylum breaking serious laws in our state, must face deportation not relocation in Ireland.’