Prince Charles and Camilla visit Tipperary in Republic of Ireland

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Gardaí (Irish police) were called to a “public order incident involving a group of males” in Killarney on Sunday. The fight broke out around 8:15pm at the Hotel Killarney on the Cork Road which housed refugees and is a place of refuge for asylum seekers.

The four men injured during the incident have been taken to hospital for treatment.

Reports have stated that several people are thought to have been stabbed but the Gardaí have not revealed how the injuries were caused.

A source told the Irish Examiner that up to six ambulances were sent to the scene of the incident and that one of the injured men was taken to UHK Tralee with suspected stab wounds.

The Gardaí confirmed on Radio Kerry that none of the injuries are thought to be life-threatening.

Two men in their 30s have been arrested for questioning as police remain on scene at the hotel.

The Irish Times have reported that the pair are being detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

The two men were taken to Killarney Garda Station while a forensic examination is underway at the scene.

The hotel came under fire in October after the International Protection Accommodation Services unveiled plans to remove Ukrainian refugees.

The plan was to remove the Ukrainian women and children who arrived in March to move them to County Mayo in order to make space for male Direct Provision applicants.

Protests erupted in the area and other hotel accommodation was found in Killarney for the Ukrainian refugees.

Around half of the 400 of the hotel’s residents are now women who are Direct Provision applicants.

Ireland’s Direct Provision system was initially a short-term solution to help accommodate those seeking asylum by providing food, board, and essentials for a maximum of six months.

However, severe delays in the asylum process means that the majority of applicants spend an average of three years in Direct Provision, with some cases being over seven years.

The system, which was set up in 1999, has caused controversy with accusations of Human Rights violations, inappropriate and substandard accommodation, and insufficient care and support services.

A coalition of non-for-profit groups in Ireland called STAD (Standing Against Direct Provision) have called for an end to the system.

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The government vowed to end it by 2024 but has not made enough efforts to ensure this target is met, the group said.

STAD are working to ensure that the government is held to account and reaches its goal by replacing Direct Provision with alternative accommodation systems which are “compliant with human rights standards”.

Tim Hanly, Campaigns Officer at Amnesty International Ireland told InfoMigrants: “Direct Provision has been widely criticised…due to its unsuitable living conditions, institutionalised regime and lack of the right supports, and because long delays in the determination process mean people are often left in limbo for years.

“The impact of this on people’s rights, their physical and mental health, privacy and dignity, is entirely unacceptable.”

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