Proposed IPAS centre in Wexford village should be subject to environmental inspection – ‘there's no mains there, you're dealing with septic tanks'
With cathaoirleach of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD), Councillor Jim Codd, suggesting that his colleagues' sudden interest in the environment masked darker, more grave, concerns, it was left to Cllrs Ger Carthy and Lisa McDonald to defend their respective positions.
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Irish Examiner
21 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Cork TD 'inundated' with rumours after plan to co-locate refugees in city centre building dropped
Residents and owners of apartments in Cork city centre have given a guarded welcome to the axing of plans to co-locate asylum seeker accommodation in part of their building. But the scenario that has played out at their building since before Christmas has prompted calls for a review of the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) sourcing system for better communication with residents who may be directly affected, and for a review of the regulations which were introduced in 2022 to fast-track the delivery of accommodation for international protection applicants or people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, Ken O'Flynn, said the handling of the saga raises many questions for IPAS. 'This is largely the result of the State's cloak-and-dagger approach to sourcing IPAS accommodation,' he said. 'It's all smoke and mirrors. What we need is straight, open, and plain dialogue with all the stakeholders, with local councillors, TDs, local residents." Some of the former office space at 23-25 South Terrace was converted into a communal dining area. It follows a protracted saga since January following confirmation the State was considering an offer of IPAS accommodation for up to 50 people across two floors of former office space at 23-25 South Terrace, a striking four-storey Georgian building with a basement. While the ground and first floor were previously offices, and unoccupied for some time, there are 22 residential apartments on the upper floors. The government introduced regulations in 2022, amending the planning and development regulations by inserting a new Class 20F exemption, which permitted the temporary change of use of certain buildings for use by the State as accommodation for international protection applicants without the need for planning permission. The work would be considered exempted development - it would not need regular planning permission - if it met certain criteria. The regulations listed a range of structures that could be considered under the Class 20F exemption, including schools, colleges, universities, training centres, social centres, community centres, or any structure or part of a structure normally used for public worship or religious instruction. The provisions were temporary and time-limited and were due to expire in December 2024, but were later extended to December 2028, and expanded to include structures being used to accommodate people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some of the former office space at 23-25 South Terrace was converted into a laundry room. The list, however, made no mention of co-locating IPAS centres within the same building with existing residential use, as was proposed at 23-25 South Terrace. Last November, a formal application was lodged with Cork City Council requesting a Section 5 declaration for 23-25 South Terrace, which asked the council to confirm if the temporary use of part of the building as overnight accommodation for displaced persons or persons seeking international protection is exempted development – that it does not require planning permission. Floor plans submitted with the application showed how the ground floor would be converted to bedrooms, with a communal cooking and dining area, recreation lounges, a laundry room and storage areas, with more bedrooms, toilets and showers on the first floor. City planners stressed that it was not their job to determine the acceptability or otherwise of an IPAS centre at this location, but to assess whether or not the project constitutes development, and if so, is exempted development. They said the plans constituted a material change of use from office to residential but crucially, they said the previous use of the ground and first floor was office space, and that offices was included on the list of Class 20F exemptions. They requested further information to clarify if the new accommodation was to be occupied by displaced persons from Ukraine or by IPAS, and requested written confirmation of approval, or approval in principle, for the use of the property as an IPAS centre from either the relevant government department, or the relevant section of the city council. Floor plans submitted with the application showed how the ground floor at 23-25 South Terrace would be converted to bedrooms. A response received in mid-December included a letter from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, which at the time had responsibility for IPAS centres, confirming its interest in using the property for international protection applicants. By mid-January, city planners deemed the proposal as exempted development – effectively clearing the way for work on the two floors to proceed. When the owners of apartments on the upper floors found out about the IPAS plan in their building, they sought answers from City Hall, but were told it was a matter for the relevant department - responsibility for IPAS has since been transferred to the Department of Justice. One property owner told the council: 'We understand the predicament of supporting asylum seekers, we support efforts in housing them but you cannot overlook the impact to long-term residents in your decisions and at a minimum, we are owed the courtesy of engaging the residents and unit owners. 'The lack of care, courtesy, transparency and engagement from Cork City Council is disappointing. 'We think Cork City Council should inform all homeowners across the city centre immediately and those considering buying in Cork City that the council might convert commercial units within an existing residential building at any time under a Section 5 to an IPAS centre without any form of engagement with homeowners or concern for the impact.' Some of the former office space at 23-25 South Terrace was converted into recreation lounges. City Hall said the planning department's role in this was restricted by legislation and there is no statutory mechanism or facility within the process to enable public submissions or wider community engagement as would be the case in a standard planning application process. In the meantime, work on the conversion of the two floors to IPAS accommodation got underway, with partitions erected to create bedrooms, toilets and kitchens installed and furniture delivered. The basement underwent fire safety upgrades. But all that investment is now up in the air after the Department of Justice confirmed to the Irish Examiner last Thursday that the building is no longer being considered for use as an IPAS centre. It declined to confirm when the decision was made, or to explain why the building was no longer deemed suitable. 'Details of individual property appraisals are confidential,' a spokesperson said. While the ground and first floor of 23-25 South Terrace were previously offices, and unoccupied for some time, there are 22 residential apartments on the upper floors. Picture: Noel Sweeney 'Many properties are not approved for use as international protection accommodation often for reasons relating to planning or suitability of the site. Any investment in the property offered to the department through this process remains the responsibility of the provider.' The developer did not respond to requests for comment. Mr O'Flynn said he has some sympathy for the developers who it appears are now left out of pocket but he said the saga proves the need for a root-and-branch review of how the State sources and secures IPAS accommodation. Some of the former office space at 23-25 South Terrace was converted into bedrooms. 'A lot of this could have been avoided if the department was open and upfront with people,' he said. 'There are rumours now about every unoccupied building. My office is inundated on Monday mornings with calls from people who have heard the latest rumour about these buildings in the pubs over the weekend.' Read More Report finds unvetted staff and overcrowding in asylum seeker accommodation
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- RTÉ News
'No hope' of alternative accommodation for those moving from IPAS centres
Two agencies providing services to asylum applicants who have been granted permission to remain in Ireland have called on the Minister for Housing and Minister for Justice to work together to prevent thousands more people ending up in homeless services in the coming weeks and months. It comes following confirmation from the Department of Justice that from tomorrow 2,042 people, including 600 families, will be moved from IPAS, on a phased basis over the coming months. Charities Crosscare and Depaul work with those seeking international protection in Ireland and those who have legal status. In a statement this evening, they stated that the risk of homelessness was a direct result of the Department of Justice moving people out of IPAS accommodation having been permitted to remain in Ireland, "even though they have little or no hope of finding alternative accommodation". The chief executives of both organisations wrote to the ministers two months ago "pleading with them to work together to avoid escalating the homeless crisis". Crosscare CEO Conor Hickey and Depaul CEO David Carroll warned both ministers that another 6,000 people with permission to live and work here could end up in homeless services. In the past 18 months, over 7,000 people with status have left IPAS accommodation. According to the latest homeless figures, a total of 15,747 people were in emergency accommodation last month, of whom 3,031 were from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Between May 2023 and May 2025, there was an increase of approximately 1,230 in the number of Non‑EEA adults in emergency accommodation. Crosscare and DePaul have said the matter can no longer be ignored. They are concerned about families being removed from their communities. "An offer that uproots vulnerable people and separates them and their children from their supports is not a real offer. It is simply unfair and unjust and must not be allowed," they said. The joint statement called on the country's local authorities to "work together with IPAS to respond in a humane and planned manner for this group of people, many of whom are very vulnerable". Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless households rests with individual local authorities. However, Crosscare and Depaul have said frontline staff in both charities are finding that local authorities across the country are "not always accepting responsibility" for households who have become homeless after leaving IPAS. "They can find themselves being moved between different authorities, and staff see them disproportionately present to Dublin homeless services. "Some local authorities are failing to provide timely access to emergency accommodation; families at times have reported that they are not always being dealt with immediately and are told to return to IPAS for assistance." The Department of Housing has acknowledged that the growth in the number of households being granted international protection or other forms of permission to remain in the State has resulted in local authorities seeing increasing presentations from households who have recently left direct provision accommodation. Crosscare and Depaul have called a coordinated plan as a matter of "urgency", to support those with status who have been asked to move out of direct provision/IPAS and to postpone notices to those who have received letters that they must move on from their present accommodation.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
600 families to be moved out of IPAS centres as charity calls for relocation of over 2,000 people to be delayed
SOME 600 families with status to remain in Ireland will be moved out of International Protection Accommodation Services in the coming months, the Department of Justice has said. Charity workers close to the 2,042 people who have received notice to leave have asked that the exits be delayed. The Department has said the families were informed about the planned relocation a year ago and were sent a follow-up letter in March. The first move will take place tomorrow and will continue on a phased basis for the rest of the summer. The transfer procedure began under the previous government when the Department of Children was responsible for the accommodation of international protection applicants. In the past 18 months, over 7,000 people with status have left IPAS accommodation, after the Department of Justice took over responsibility. Read more in News A spokesperson for the department said that everyone who had been notified would be moved, except for 'very rare circumstances' such as medical reasons. The Department of Housing has confirmed they are seeing an increased demand for homes from families who have recently left Direct Provision accommodation. The Government has acknowledged that while numbers arriving had reduced compared to 2024, they said: 'There is still on average 1,000 people applying for international protection every month.' A statement from the Department of Justice said: 'Of our nearly 33,000 residents, approximately 5,300 people have completed their application process and have received a positive decision. This means they have a legal status that allows them to remain in Ireland, and to work. Most read in the Irish Sun 'It also means that they are no longer entitled to IPAS accommodation. However, they are now able to access the full range of housing support available to all Irish residents. These housing supports are not available to people who are still going through the international protection application process.' Some of the families who have been told that they have to leave today and have accepted a transfer to emergency accommodation remain unaware where they will end up, according to the Irish Refugee Council. APPROACH CONCERNS In a statement, it said: 'We are particularly concerned that families who do not accept a transfer will be pushed into already overstretched homeless services and are at high risk of rough sleeping during this transition.' In a statement, the Irish Refugee Council said the rise in homelessness among people leaving Direct Provision was as a direct result of Government policy. At a recent Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive Mary Hayes also expressed concern about the approach. She said: 'We are concerned about institutional discharge from one institution into another. That does not seem to be well-thought through or a planned approach to homelessness. That is particularly so with IPAS which is driving about a quarter of the presentations of single homelessness.' 1 On average, 1,000 people are applying for international protection every month here Credit: Bryan Meade - The Times
