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Extra.ie
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Government to buy Citywest Hotel for €148.2 million
The Government has signed off on a €148.2 million deal to acquire the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre in west Dublin, Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan has announced. The facility, currently being used as a reception centre for asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees, will be converted into a permanent State-owned screening centre for processing international protection applications. Mr O'Callaghan said the move is a more cost-effective long-term solution than continuing to lease facilities from private providers. '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,' he said. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Pic: Leah Farrell/ 'Over a longer period of time, if you compare what we're spending in the private sector from the amount of money we'll be spending in terms of a state owned entity, over a period of about 25 years, we'll be looking at a saving of 1.25 billion (euro).' He added that the purchase supports the Government's programme commitment to secure 14,000 accommodation units for people seeking asylum. 'It would be far cheaper to own the facility in west Dublin instead of paying private providers for the services and accommodation,' he explained. 'It will be used as a screening centre where applications for asylum will be processed.' Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin While the Citywest facility will continue operating in its current capacity, O'Callaghan confirmed there are no immediate plans to expand its accommodation capacity. 'There are no 'immediate' plans to expand the number of places at Citywest,' he said. The announcement has sparked concern among local residents. Protesters from Saggart gathered outside Leinster House last week to oppose the purchase, citing fears over the loss of public access to the hotel complex and increased strain on local services. Minister of State Colm Brophy addressed the concerns, saying engagement with local representatives would be prioritised to ensure transparency and communication with the community. 'Very importantly, the purchase of Citywest will not result in any immediate increase in numbers,' he said. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin '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.' Brophy said the decision was made on a strong financial rationale. '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% of the operating costs.' He also defended the centre's current operation. '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. 'We are not planning on changing those numbers.'
The Irish Sun
17-06-2025
- Business
- 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:
Irish Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Government buys Citywest Hotel for €148m as part of long term asylum strategy
The Government has approved the purchase of the Citywest Hotel and convention centre for €148.2 million, the Justice Minister said. Jim O'Callaghan said that it would be 'far cheaper' to own the facility in west Dublin instead of paying private providers for the services and accommodation. He said it would be used as a screening centre where applications for asylum will be processed. He said it was in line with the commitment in the programme for government to own 14,000 accommodation units for asylum seekers. 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 Ukrainian refugees. '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. Over a longer period of time, if you compare what we're spending in the private sector from the amount of money we'll be spending in terms of a state owned entity, over a period of about 25 years, we'll be looking at a saving of €1.25 billion.' Locals from Saggart protested outside Leinster House last week over government plans to buy the Citywest facility. 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 are informed. 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% of the operating costs. 'Very importantly, the purchase of Citywest will not result in any immediate increase in numbers,' he said. '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. We are not planning on changing those numbers.'
Gulf Insider
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Hungary Sues European Commission Over €1 Million-A-Day
The Hungarian government has launched a legal challenge against the European Commission's decision to impose a daily €1 million fine over the country's refusal to accept illegal migrants. György Bakondi, the chief security advisor to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, announced on Wednesday that Budapest will file a lawsuit with the European Court of Justice. Appearing on TV2's 'Mokka' program, Bakondi said Hungary will not comply with the European Union's new Migration Pact, which he described as 'a clear call for illegal immigrants to be allowed in.' He emphasized that Hungary remains committed to its sovereignty and national security, and refuses to be pressured into taking in individuals who entered the bloc unlawfully. The lawsuit will be led by a team of lawyers with what Bakondi called 'a serious reputation,' including two former members of the European Court of Justice. Hungary's resistance to EU migration policy is not new. In 2015, the country faced a surge of more than 400,000 illegal border crossings within two months. In response, the government implemented border fences and legal restrictions to halt the flow. Officials credited these measures with preventing the emergence of terrorist threats, no-go zones, and the overburdening of public services. In a national referendum in 2016, 98 percent of those who voted rejected the proposal to allow the European Union to mandate the obligatory resettlement of non-Hungarian citizens into Hungary without parliamentary approval. The referendum had a 44 percent turnout, under the 50 percent threshold required to be considered valid. Click here to read more Also read: Ukraine Funds Left-Wing Smear Campaign to Oust Hungary's Orbán
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Factbox-Poland election: what you need to know
By Marta Maciag, Canan Sevgili and Julia Kotowska (Reuters) - Poland will hold the first round of a presidential election on May 18, setting the scene for a vote that will be crucial for the pro-European government's hopes of implementing its reformist agenda. The election pits liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, a senior member of the ruling Civic Platform party (PO), against historian Karol Nawrocki, who runs Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, and far-right Slawomir Mentzen. Here is a guide to the election, including candidate profiles and key issues: WHAT'S AT STAKE? Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition came to power in 2023, vowing to undo the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government's judicial reforms that critics said eroded the rule of law. However, its efforts have been hampered by former nationalist PiS government ally President Andrzej Duda, who has the power to veto legislation. HOW DOES THE ELECTION WORK? Voters will select the president for a five-year term through a two-round system. If no candidate scores more than 50% in the first round, a run-off will be held between the top two contenders on June 1. Presidents can serve a maximum of two terms. Duda's second term ends on August 6. Polls open at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and close at 9 p.m. on May 18. Around 29 million people are eligible to vote. Exit polls will be published shortly after voting ends. Partial results will trickle in throughout the evening on Sunday and on Monday. WHO ARE CANDIDATES? Rafal Trzaskowski The frontrunner, 53-year-old Trzaskowski has served as the mayor of Warsaw since 2018. He was narrowly defeated by Duda in the 2020 presidential vote. Trzaskowski's main proposals include increasing defence spending to 5% of GDP, liberalising abortion laws and developing Poland's arms and technology industry, as well as ensuring Poland has a strong position in the European Union. Karol Nawrocki A conservative historian, 42, Nawrocki is backed by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which lost power to Tusk in 2023. Between 2017-21, he ran the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk, in northern Poland. He wants to see lower taxes, a withdrawal from the European Union's Migration Pact and Green Deal, and is critical of giving more rights to LGBT couples. Like Trzaskowski, he wants to allocate 5% of GDP to defence. He is currently polling in second place. Slawomir Mentzen Far-right candidate Slawomir Mentzen, 38, runs a tax advisory firm and is a vocal critic of government regulation. His key proposals include significant tax cuts, withdrawing from the European Green Deal and opposing more gay rights. He believes Poland should avoid taking on excessive military or financial responsibilities in the Ukraine-Russia war. He wants to prioritise Poland's sovereignty by ensuring its constitution overrides EU laws. He is currently polling in third place. Szymon Holownia The speaker of Poland's lower house of parliament, 48-year-old Holownia previously worked as a journalist and television presenter. He founded the political movement Polska 2050, a centrist grouping that is now part of the governing coalition. Holownia's key proposals include promoting regional development, improving public transport and increasing access to affordable housing. He wants to reduce bureaucracy, support Polish businesses, and develop Poland's domestic arms production capabilities. The left Three leftist candidates are also in the race, with 43-year-old Magdalena Biejat, Deputy Senate Speaker, having the highest support. She is one of the most vocal proponents of women's and minority rights, and wants to allow access to abortion after a near-total ban on the procedure was introduced under PiS. Biejat's proposals focus on reducing poverty, increasing public sector wages and making housing more affordable. Her programme is similar to that of 45-year-old Adrian Zandberg, head of the Razem (Together) party. The last leftist candidate is 76-year-old Joanna Senyszyn, an academic, lawmaker and former member of the Polish United Workers' Party which ran the country until the fall of Communism. Other candidates Also running in a 13-candidate field is the far-right's Grzegorz Braun, who in 2023 used a fire extinguisher to put out Hanukkah candles in the country's parliament, an incident that caused international outrage. Another candidate is 42-year-old Krzysztof Stanowski, a journalists and YouTuber, who has no political programme and says he wants to show people the campaign behind the scenes and raise money for charities.
