A former nursing home in Dublin 4 is the latest property to be earmarked to accommodate up to 220 asylum seekers. Gardaí are said to be conducting patrols of the building in Ballsbridge due to recent suspected arson attacks at buildings earmarked for asylum seeker accommodation. The building operated as a nursing home up to 2020 and now 40 rooms will be opened to house asylum-seeking families, with all having their own-door room to lock, as well as shower facilities.
Public representatives in South Tipperary say there were no plans to use a vacant school near Fethard to provide accommodation for asylum seekers or refugees. The property was badly damaged in a fire on Wednesday night but was said to have been in a very poor condition and effectively condemned several years ago. The Garda investigation into the fire is examining if the fire was the result of locally based anti-social behaviour.
Meanwhile a business based in Urlingford says it has no plans to house Asylum seekers in the property formerly known as “Josephine’s Restaurant.”
Bernard Kavanagh & Sons says a slanderous video about the property has been released on various social media platforms this week. The company says it wishes to put an end to the misinformation being shared. The building is currently owned by Bernard Kavanagh & Sons and has been derelict since 2010. The owners are renovating the property to accommodate both Ukrainian people and their families and staff of the company. The company currently employs a number of Ukrainian people.
In the longer term once the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine comes to an end, the company intends to utilise the building to cater for it’s staff, as well as the base of business headquarters for the company.
The owners say false allegations being made in the online claim that the building is being developed to house International Protection (IP) Migrants – the company rejects these claims as “absolutely and wholeheartedly untrue”.
Bernard Kavanagh and Sons also say “The current campaign of scaremongering and lies directed towards us has the sole purpose of causing worry in the community when it is not warranted.”
