The future use of Dundrum House Hotel Complex as an accommodation centre for refugees from Ukraine and applicants for asylum in Ireland remains unclear.
Deputy Mattie McGrath raised the situation with the Tánaiste Simon Harris in the Dáil yesterday. Deputy McGrath highlighted that Simon Harris had met with representatives from the Dundrum group opposed to the creation of an IPAS centre during the election campaign but that there had been no communication since then.
The remaining approximately 38 Ukrainian refugees were to be transferred out of Dundrum today. Deputy McGrath says the people have been integrated into the Community. In response the Tánaiste Simon Harris says “a pause needs to be placed by the Department on the situation regarding Ukrainian accommodation” adding that “uprooting children in the middle of the school year is not acceptable.” The Tánaiste also says the possibility of “converting the facility into an IPAS centre without having a discussion with the Government is not acceptable.” (See the full exchange here). It is understood that a meeting of Senior Department officials took place last evening at approximately 5pm and the outcome is that no one will be moved out or in today and that a detailed plan will be outlined next week.
Deputy Michael Murphy is also engaging directly with Minister Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration about the situation. High Court proceedings are ongoing as the US investors seek to gain control of the facility from the management running the complex. It is understood that a different operator running other IPAS centres is seeking to secure a contract with the Department for an IPAS centre at the location. Tipperary County Council issued a Section 5 Declaration last month that planning permission was not required to operate an IPAS Centre in Dundrum under the planning laws amended by the previous government. Dundrum Heritage Group are seeking to challenge this process and are concerned that the Manor House in Dundrum is being allowed to fall into dereliction.
