Public meeting held over plans to house 80 asylum seekers at Tipperary's Dundrum House Hotel

A public meeting attended by about 300 people took place in Dundrum on Monday night to discuss the local community’s response to the Department of Integration’s plan to accommodate 80 asylum seekers at Dundrum House Hotel.

It was decided at the meeting held in Dundrum Scout Centre to set up a committee to manage the community response to the controversial plan including a protest that has been staged at the front gates of Dundrum House since last Thursday when news first emerged of the plans to house International Protection Applicants there.

The meeting was attended by a number of Local and European Elections candidates and local public representatives.

An estimated 220 Ukrainian war refugees are currently being accommodated at Dundrum House Hotel that also includes holiday homes and a golf club. There was previously more Ukrainian refugees living there.

Local public representatives have sharply criticised the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for the lack of information and consultation with the local community.

And they have voiced concern about the extra pressure and strain on local services that will arise from accommodating 80 International Protection Applicants at Dundrum House on top of the Ukrainian refugees already living there.

They did receive confirmation that the Department’s plans are to accommodate women and children and female couples who are International Protection Applicants at Dundrum House.

And a statement The Nationalist has received from the Department indicates that International Protection Applicants will be housed at Dundrum House as accommodation vacancies arise within the property.

Cashel Fianna Fáil Cllr Roger Kennedy said he was hoping all of the local councillors in the area can meet an official from the Department of Integration in the next few days to get more information on the situation.

He understands that holiday homes in the Dundrum House estate will be set aside specifically for International Protection Applicants and the Ukrainian refugees currently housed in them will move to the main hotel.

And he understands that no extra residents will be moved into Dundrum House until the Department has carried out fire safety checks and secured fire certs, which will take about ten days to complete.

He said while they have been told that Dundrum House will only accommodate women and children asylum seekers many locals are concerned men will still end up being accommodated there.

Cllr Kennedy complained the services infrastructure wasn’t there locally to cater for this increase in residents.

“We have no garda station, the health services are stretched beyond the limit and the schools are all full. There is huge concern locally with regards to this and there has been no communication (from the Department of Integration).”

He argues the Government needs to rapidly ramp up the assessment and decision making on International Protection

Applicants’ cases to reduce the pressure on accommodation across the country. But the Government hasn’t so far been able to sufficiently increase the number of assessors to meet demand.

“Last October there were 36,000 International Protection Applicants in the country and the Department gave a commitment to increase the number of people assessing their cases to decide either to give them permits to stay or deport them. But while the number of assessors was increased the number of International Protection Applicants has gone up to 38,000.

“If that number of applicants was brought back to 10,000 the country would be able to accommodate them in the system,” he added.

Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne and Tipperary Town Sinn Féin councillors Tony Black and Annemarie Ryan issued a statement on Monday criticising the Department’s lack of communication with the local community and public representatives.

“The way the Government has treated the local community as well as public representatives on this matter is nothing short of neglectful,” declared Deputy Browne.

“From the moment rumours started to spread about the possibility of this happening, I made enquiries with the Department, demanding details and clarity.

“The response from the Department was silence, until Tipperary County Council received the barest details which they communicated to councillors. At that time, no information was given to Oireachtas members. When we were finally informed, I immediately made the information publicly available.

“I also wrote to the Department seeking additional information on the finer details of their accommodation, the impact that is foreseen for the Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection who currently reside there, as well as what audit was done locally to ensure that the area can meet the additional demand for services.

“As of June 3, no reply has been forthcoming, which is a slap in the face for the local community who are entitled to engagement from the department’s Community Engagement Team.

“I, and my colleagues Cllr Tony Black and Cllr Annemarie Ryan believe that the community deserves to be actively engaged with, and given as much information as possible, given what has been asked of them in the past – and what the Department is asking of them now.

“As such, we have been keeping in touch with local community representatives with any information we receive, and we have also called to the doors of residents locally to discuss all of this with them”.

Cllr Black said local people have concerns, yet those with the power to make decisions are not listening.
He accused the Government of failing the people of Tipperary and Ireland with their lack of a coherent policy around immigration.

“The residents we have spoken to are generous people who love their community. The government soured the situation from the get-go with their lack of communication and respect. The people of Dundrum deserve better, especially given the fantastic hospitality they have shown to the Ukrainian refugees currently residing in the hotel.”

Cllr Ryan said she had twice visited the protest site since the Government informed them of the proposed changes to Dundrum House Hotel.

“Each time, I met with local residents who were concerned about the future plans for their area. These concerns are being fed by a vacuum of proper consultation.

“This lack of consultation is causing undue worry and is contributing to the spread of unverified information. The community has a right to know the full facts relating to future use of Dundrum House Hotel,” she added.

The Nationalist contacted the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to the criticisms of local policitians and to get information on its plans to accommodate International Protection Applicants at Dundrum House Hotel.

The Department’s statement outlined that Ireland is currently experiencing an acute shortage of accommodation for people seeking international protection.

“As vacancies arise within existing properties used for those fleeing the war in Ukraine, where the provider agrees, the Department is availing of these spaces. A number of such moves are being planned, including Dundrum House Hotel.
“80 beds have been identified for use and the overall capacity at this property remains the same,” the statement added.

A briefing document for local public representatives issued by the Department further expanded on this highlighting that it wished to avail of accommodation spaces arising in existing properties used for those fleeing the Ukraine war in order to prevent asylum seekers from being homeless.

It said in this context Dundrum House Hotel is now a “hybrid property” for accommodating people seeking international protection and beneficiaries of temporary protection.

The Department added the 80 beds identified for international protection applicants at Dundrum House were “previously occupied” by beneficiaries of temporary protection.