Meeting told of eagerness for Dublin mosque to reopen

Children are eager to return to study the Quran at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland's (ICCI) mosque, an online public meeting to discuss its closure has heard.
The facility in Clonskeagh in Dublin remains closed following fractious scenes at and outside a meeting at the centre on 19 April.
In a statement, the ICCI said the facility was closed "as a preventive measure to ensure the safety and security of the property, staff, children and members of the public".
Some 171 people have attended an online meeting to discuss the matter, which was hosted Abdul Hasseb.
The discussion was also attended by Joe Coleman, who was described by the host as an expert mediator.
Mr Hasseb, the spokesperson for the 'Muslim Community Ireland' group, said the meeting was held after a petition was organised by its members.
The members, he said, are unhappy about the closure of the mosque and it was established with the purpose of campaigning for the reopening of the centre.
Mr Hasseb said the committee has already held a press conference in relation to the closure, and contacted local TDs, saying they will meet Shay Brennan.
Mr Hasseb said tomorrow will be the fourth Friday that the mosque is closed, adding it is sad that people have become used to the facility being closed.
During the meeting, the committee presented the results of a survey of 247 members of the Muslim community.
The respondents, of which 46% were woman and 54% were men, mostly said the impact on the religious education of children in the community has been severe.
The report, with representation across the age groups, also found the majority of those surveyed said the Islamic Cultural Centre was extremely important to their family's sense of belonging.
It showed that many reported feeling emotionally distressed and isolated because of the closure, while a little under half of the respondents said they have difficulty accessing religious services elsewhere.
The committee said people reported the mosque had been part of their daily routine and their children keep asking when they can go back to their Quran classes.
The group shared a statement from Imam of the mosque Sheikh Hussein Halawa, in which he apologised for not being able to attend.
He said it breaks his heart the mosque is closed and he has sought legal avenues, but cannot comment further.
He said: "My silence is not indifference, it out of necessity."
But Mr Hasseb said the committee will continue to push for further information.
He also shared a statement from the Ahmed Hasain, CEO of the ICCI, in which he said he had to comply with the board of directors directive to refrain from public comment.
Mr Hasain said it is his view that he has always been clear that the reopening of the mosque should not be linked to employment issues.
Mr Coleman, described as a mediator, addressed the meeting, saying he had reached out after seeing media reports on RTÉ and the Irish Times.
He said that he understands the motivation of the community who want the mosque reopened.
However, Mr Coleman added that he does not understand the coupling of the closure of the mosque with an employment dispute.
He said if the dispute is litigated it will take years to be resolved, adding that he does not know what the employment dispute is about and he does not want to go down that avenue.
He suggested the community agree on a representative to meet with the Islamic Cultural Centre board at a mediated meeting.
Mr Coleman said while mediation can be much quicker than litigation, it should not be rushed.

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