Ballymun roundabout Roma want to stay in Ireland

Wed Jul 25, 2007

The Roma want to stay in Ireland and they have denied the claims of the Romanian ambassador In Ireland, who says that they are not credible refugees.
Molodovar George's story is typical of the Roma community living in the camp on the M50 roundabout in Ballymun. Molodavar hails from a rural area near the city of Oradea in northwestern Romania, he says he borrowed money and had to sell all his possessions just to pay his €200 fare to Ireland.
Some of the Roma claim to have been subjected to racist attacks and slurs. Despite living conditions on the Dublin roundabout being classed as a humanitarian crisis, the Roma prefer it to the prospect of life back home in Romania.

The Romanian Ambassador to Ireland however is accusing members of the Roma community living on the motorway roundabout of misleading the Irish public. Silvia Stancu Davidou is quoted in this morning's newspapers denying claims by some Roma families that they lived in worse conditions at rubbish dumps in Romania. She says the Romanian government has found out that many of those in the camp on the M50 roundabout in Ballymun had permanent addresses in Romania and received social welfare benefits at home. Ms Davidou claims the Roma Support Group and the traveller focus group Pavee Point are spearheading a misleading campaign which embraces stereotypes about discrimination against the Roma community.

63 members of the Roma community who have been living at the Ballymun intersection of the M50 are due to be repatriated to Romania today. However 38 adults and children have chosen to stay at the roundabout and slip road. They have been issued with immigration papers but say they will fight any attempts to deport them.

Last night, Minister for Justice Brian Lenihdan said he had served deportation notices on members of the group encamped on the roundabout. He said the Roma community there would be removed from the State unless they could give a valid reason to remain. Speaking on RTÉ's Questions and Answers, Mr Lenihan said the Romanian community in Ireland had advised him that if the State allowed the Roma people into Ireland, thousands more would follow.

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Ballymun roundabout Roma want to stay in Ireland