Coolock fire: Asylum seekers’ site set ablaze for sixth time

Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene in north Dublin shortly after 10.15pm after being alerted to the blaze by residents.

Last night’s fire was the sixth to break out at the former Crown Paints factory in recent months.

The site, on the Malahide Road, has been the centre of major protests and has seen some demonstrators involved in major clashes with police.

No injuries were reported in last night’s incident and firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control.

A police spokesman said an investigation had been opened into the fire.

He said: “Gardaí and Dublin Fire Brigade attended a fire at a premises in Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17 on Monday 16th September 2024.

“The incident occurred around 10:15 p.m. and the fire was brought under control by the firefighters.

“No injuries have been reported. The investigation is ongoing.”

In July, the former Crown Paints factory was set on fire four times in just four days.

The fires were started after protesters fought with police.

The Public Order Unit was deployed several times as protests turned violent at the site intended to accommodate asylum seekers.

The government had previously announced plans to house up to 500 international protection applicants at the former Coolock factory.

For months, groups of protesters have been camping outside the site and holding several demonstrations to condemn the plan to house asylum seekers in the building.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has previously defended the actions of the Gardaí and denounced those engaging in anti-social behaviour in Coolock.

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, Mr Harris admitted the government needs to do a better job of consulting communities on migration.

He said: “Shame on every one of those people who are trying to divide our country or our community, because that’s not us.

“When you see those scenes in Coolock, my brain thinks of the man or woman who got up that morning and kissed their children goodbye, put on their Garda uniform and had people throwing bricks at them.

“But what warmed my heart was the local community that reached out to them.

“This is not Coolock, this is not Ireland.

“That’s not who we are.”