Emergency Rest Centre activated in Larne to support families displaced by disorder in Ballymena

Larne Leisure Centre

An Emergency Rest Centre was opened at Larne Leisure Centre on Tuesday evening, 10 June, by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, following serious street disorder in Ballymena which left a number of families in urgent need of temporary shelter.

The Council confirmed the activation of the Emergency Rest Centre (ERC) was part of its established emergency response protocols, carried out in collaboration with local partner agencies including emergency services and support organisations.

It is understood six homes have been set on fire over the last 48 hours in Ballymena, as well as a larger number which have been vandalised.

A spokesperson for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said:

“In line with normal protocols and in collaboration with local agencies, Council received a request to open an Emergency Rest Centre at Larne Leisure Centre last night, to provide emergency shelter for families in urgent need following disturbances in Ballymena.

“The families have all been safely relocated and are no longer availing of the facility.”

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has commented on Wednesday afternoon on the ERC. He said:

“It has been brought to my attention that a number of individuals were temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre in the early hours of the morning following the disturbances in Ballymena.

“As a local MLA for the area, neither I nor my DUP Council colleagues were made aware or consulted on this decision until late this afternoon.

“It has now been confirmed to us by the PSNI and Council that all these individuals are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne.

“Protesting is of course a legitimate right but violence is not and I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful.”

Providing shelter and safety during crisis

Emergency Rest Centres in Northern Ireland are essential components of the region’s civil contingency planning, designed to provide temporary refuge to individuals and families displaced by incidents such as flooding, fires, gas leaks or, in this instance, civil unrest.

Typically housed in buildings such as community centres, churches or leisure facilities, ERCs offer:

• Warm shelter

• Access to hot food and drinks

• First aid and medical support

• Welfare assistance

• Coordination with housing and social care services

In this case, Larne Leisure Centre was swiftly repurposed to accommodate those affected,

Local coordination and support

The rest centre was activated in direct response to violent disorder in Ballymena on Monday and Tuesday this week. The disturbances led to a number of residents being evacuated from their homes for safety reasons.

Emergency Rest Centres are a key part of the Northern Ireland Resilience Framework, designed to handle the humanitarian consequences of emergencies. Councils are legally obligated under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to prepare for such scenarios.