Meath County Council due to make decisions about two IPAS centres proposed for Trim
Today at 07:37
Planning permission decisions are due by Meath County County Council shortly about two proposals for International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres in Trim.
Both applications were made under Section 5 exempted developments for which planning permission is not required.
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Irish Independent
7 days ago
- Irish Independent
State pays over €1.9 million to cover costs at Wicklow IPAS centre
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth which handles international protection accommodation service (IPAS) centres, has released figures detailing the amount of money the state has paid out so far this year to run these facilities in County Wicklow. The data for Q1 2025 shows Vesta Hotels Limited received the biggest allocation in February with two payments of €680,680, and a third worth €607,750 to provide accommodation for international protection applicants. A Hiqa report carried out at the south Wicklow facility in 2024 recorded capacity of 111 people. At the time of inspection, it was accommodating 104 residents, and nine of these were children. Meanwhile Arturo Ventures Unlimited received a payment of over €320,000 in January to provide accommodation for Ukrainians in west Wicklow. However, with a reduction in demand for accommodation for Ukrainians, elected members of the Baltinglass Municipal District have been told the operator of the Avon Hotel in Blessington has instead been offered to provide accommodation for international protection applicants. At their meeting in May councillors were informed this would be offered under a lease agreement of up to two years which is currently being examined by the Department. The 95 Ukrainian residents currently being accommodated at The Avon are all due to be relocated by August 8. The proposal to turn the hotel into an IPAS centre has sparked opposition from residents in recent weeks, with protests taking place in the town. They claim department officials have failed to consult them about their plans and fear the move could have a negative impact on local services. ADVERTISEMENT The figures also show Powertique Limited received two separate payments from the state in January totalling more than €1 million to house Ukrainians at the Royal Hotel in Bray. Meanwhile Woodstone Property Ak Limited which oversees operations at the Wilton Hotel in Bray received over €203,000 in January to accommodate Ukrainians seeking international protection. A breakdown of the figures also shows E and B Hotel Limited which owns Rathmore Country House in Ashford was allocated over €65,000 in January for the associated costs in providing accommodation. As of May 2025, there are currently 1,395 international protection applicants residing in County Wicklow. This figure far exceeds that of its neighbouring counties, including Wexford (605), Carlow (436) and Kildare (564) but naturally the numbers in Dublin are much higher. There are currently 3,403 applicants for international protection based in centres in Dublin city, with 1,190 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.
Irish Times
19-06-2025
- Irish Times
State spent nearly €416m on asylum seeker and Ukrainian accommodation in early 2025
The State spent nearly €416 million on accommodation for asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees during the first three months of 2025, according to the latest Government figures. Cape Wrath Hotel Unlimited, the company that runs Dublin's Citywest Hotel housing international protection applicants (IPAs) and Ukrainian refugees, received €18.7 million between January and March this year. Earlier this week, the Government announced plans to purchase Citywest Hotel for more than €148 million, with the intention of making it a permanent processing centre for IPAs. The move forms part of an objective to provide 14,000 State-owned beds for asylum seekers by 2028 rather than relying on private providers. The State has leased the 764-bed hotel and conference centre since 2020. It was initially used as a Covid-19 testing and vaccination centre before being converted to an accommodation and processing facility for asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees in 2022. READ MORE It is understood the Citywest transit hub has been used most recently to accommodate arrested adult deportees before they are moved to prisons in advance of their departure from the State. Cape Wrath Hotel Unlimited received a €70.8 million in 2024 for housing IPAs and Ukrainian refugees at Citywest. The Government spent a total of €415.8 million on IPA and Ukrainian refugee accommodation during the first three months of this year. Some €269.5 million was spent on IPA accommodation, while €134.7 million went on Ukrainian refugee accommodation. As quarterly purchase order figures published by the Government do not include payments below €20,000 or reimbursements to local authorities providing accommodation, the total spend may be higher. [ 'This isn't about race or colour. This is about our community': Locals protest at sale of Citywest Hotel Opens in new window ] The Holiday Inn at Dublin Airport, which is run by the Tifco Hotel Group in Ireland, was paid €8.5 million for IPA accommodation and associated costs during the first three months of this year. Travelodge, also run by Tifco, was paid €8 million during the period, while Pumpkin Spice Limited, which runs Travelodge hotels, received €1.8 million. An additional €3.6 million was paid directly to Tifco Ltd, according to purchase order records. Mosney Holidays plc, which provides accommodation for between 500-600 IPAs and refugees at a former holiday resort in Co Meath, received €9.7 million between January and March. East Coast Catering Ireland, which has an address in Dundalk and lists Denis Williams and Matthew O'Callaghan as its directors, was paid €7.5 million. Brava Capital Ltd, the owners of purpose-built accommodation in Sligo, with a company registered in the Isle of Man, received €7.2 million. Total Experience Ltd, which provides accommodation services only for Ukrainians, was paid €6.76 million, while Roscommon-based Bridgestock Care Ltd, which runs asylum seeker accommodation centres in Sligo, Mayo, Donegal and Clare, also received €6.76 million. Kintrona Ltd, which has an address in Cork city and lists John Crean, David Kelly and Tony O'Neill as directors, was paid €6.2 million, while Allpro security services Ireland received €6 million. A 2024 Irish Times investigation found the former directors of Allpro Security Services, Conor Nolan and Alan Connolly, had been convicted of tax offences. Both men resigned as directors of the company in June 2022 but remain shareholders, each holding 50 per cent of the business. Brimwood Ltd, which is owned by former Monaghan GAA football manager Séamus 'Banty' McEnaney and his daughters Sarah and Laura, received €5.6 million during the first three months of the year. There are 32,704 IPAs, including 9,481 children, living in 328 State-provided accommodation centres across the country. Another 2,987 asylum-seeking men are awaiting an offer of State accommodation, according to the latest available data. An average of 28 asylum seekers arrived into Ireland each day in May 2025, nearly half the average of 54 people who arrived each day in May 2024. More than 114,700 Ukrainians have sought temporary protection in Ireland since the war with Russia began. However, the latest Central Statistics Office data indicates nearly 30 per cent of these have left the country.
The Irish Sun
17-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Govt green light €148.2m purchase of Dublin hotel & campus to house asylum seekers despite local's anger at move
THE Government has approved the purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre for €148.2 million, the Justice Minister has said. Advertisement 2 Jim O'Callaghan said the move is 'value for money' in the long term Credit: PA He said it would be used as a screening centre where applications for Minister O'Callaghan added it was in line with the commitment in the programme for He said there are no 'immediate' plans to expand the number of places at Citywest, which is currently being used as a reception centre for asylum seekers and The Fianna Fail TD said: 'Over a period of four years, we believe we'd be in the position where we would have got our money back in terms of the investment. Advertisement READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS 'Over a longer period of time, if you compare what we're spending in the private sector from the amount of Locals from Saggart protested outside They raised concerns about losing the amenity of the hotel complex and about demand for services. Minister of State Colm Brophy said that local representatives would be engaged with so that the local community is informed. Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun He said the decision was being made on a 'value for money' basis and that if it is directly owned by the State, it can save around 50 per cent of the operating costs. He said: 'Very importantly, the purchase of Citywest will not result in any immediate increase in numbers. Stark pictures show migrant 'tent city' weaving through roads outside Dublin asylum processing centre 'The plan with Citywest is very simply to develop the asset and make sure that we have the ability, particularly under the Migration Pact, to have a state-of-the-art processing facility whereby people's applications can be cleared within 13 weeks from when they arrive in the country.' He added: 'Citywest has actually been working very effectively in terms of having an Ipas centre there, having Ukrainians also present, and having a range of services and facilities which have been working effectively and successfully for many, many years. Advertisement 'We are not planning on changing those numbers.' 2 The purchase of the Citywest Hotel for €148.2million has been approved Credit:
