Athlone councillors announce legal bid to block asylum seeker centre

On Thursday, November 21, 2024, the five Athlone-area members of Westmeath County Council announced that they are taking an independent High Court action in an effort to block the development development of temporary accommodation for 1,000 male asylum seekers in the town.
To pay for the legal action the councillors are seeking donations from the public through a 'Go Fund Me' page with a fundraising target of €100,000. This video shows Cllr Aengus O'Rourke reading a prepared statement, on behalf of the five councillors, in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel.