Erroneous reports about the cause of a fire at a property in Drogheda housing international protection applicants had the effect of downplaying the severity of the incident, according to a group representing asylum seekers.
The Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (Masi) said the idea that the fire was sparked by fireworks made it seem it was the result of a Hallowe’en prank gone wrong, rather than a deliberately dangerous act.
It led to genuine confusion among people, with some believing it may have been the result of children putting fireworks in letterboxes given last Friday was 31 October.
MASI co-ordinator & co-founder and South African former asylum seeker Lucky Khambule (Cam-bool-ah) joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us about this.
Lucky also met with and spoke to some of the residents of the IPAS centre which was attacked on Friday night, and he told us about this too.