Despite a number of ongoing Court cases the Department of Justice is understood to have transferred 17 people into the Dundrum House Hotel Complex yesterday for accommodation under the IPAS service for those seeking asylum in Ireland.
The Department has signed a two year contract to use specified parts of the complex to accommodate a maximum of 277 persons. The complex had operated as an accommodation centre for refugees from Ukraine but as the number of people arriving from Ukraine reduces the operator sought to become a service provider for the IPAS service last year. The first residents arrived in August under a heavy Garda presence. All Ukrainian refugees are to be relocated out of Dundrum House Hotel by June 1st .
The High Court is due to give a ruling on a case taken by USA investors against the current operator to determine the beneficial ownership of the property. This case has concluded but the court is continuing to hear testimony in a second case between liquidators and the current operator of the property. A Judicial Review is also ongoing in a case taken by the Dundrum Heritage Group(DHG) in respect of the planning process in place for such accommodation. The DHG is now accusing the Government of totally ignoring it’s concerns about the fate of the Manor House and the governance of the operator who they claim despite receiving over €12M in Government contracts is not maintaining the Manor House which is including in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Tipperary County Council has also identified 6 instances of Unauthorised Development at Dundrum House Hotel. It is understood that the operator has failed to respond to the Council on these issues within the four week time period since notification was issued. It remains to be seen if any enforcement action will be taken.
