The CEO of Tipperary County Council Sinead Carr attended a special meeting of the Tipp Cahir Cashel Municipal District yesterday afternoon. South Tipperary Oireachtas members were also invited to attend.
Tipp Mid West Radio understands that the meeting was arranged to inform local Public Representatives that the Judicial Review taken by the Dundrum Heritage Group is likely to result in a verdict in favour of the group. It is understood that the Council’s legal team advised Council Management that the Section 5 Declaration granted by the Tipperary Planning Authority in January (2025) to the company running Dundrum House Hotel Complex should not have been granted due to compliance issues already raised with the management of Dundrum House Hotel in 2020. The Section 5 Declaration is a planning process by which a property owner can receive a Declaration that planning permission to operate as an IPAS Accommodation Centre does not have to be sought in the normal way under the legislation as amended in 2022. The Section 5 process is long established and is also used by persons undertaking minor works seeking clarification from the Planning Authority as to whether planning permission is required for the proposed works. The council regularly publishes the Section 5 decisions on it’s website.
Tipperary County Council is to inform the High Court and the Dundrum Heritage Group of it’s position on the matter and a full statement from the council is expected later today. The Judicial Review Hearing regarding the Section 5 is currently scheduled for a date in September in the High Court.
The development may mean that the Department of Justice cannot proceed with the two year contract it signed with Utmasta for an IPAS Accommodation centre at the Dundrum location accommodating 277 persons. Tipperary County Council may also now be liable for the legal fees of Dundrum Heritage Group. It is unclear how the matter will affect the current residents at Dundrum House Hotel Complex – approximately 70 persons seeking asylum in Ireland are understood to be residing at the complex.
