Hoarding erected at derelict former Clonmel hotel in bid to keep out squatters and drug addicts

The owners of the derelict Clonmel Arms Hotel have engaged contractors who have erected hoarding at the building in the past week to prevent people from accessing it, Tipperary County Council’s July meeting was informed.

Clonmel’s Deputy Mayor Cllr Siobhán Ambrose highlighted this action being taken to secure the Sarsfield Street premises after

Sinn Féin’s Cllr David Dunne told the council meeting that 500 yards from the council’s Civic Offices there were 12 to 15 homeless people living in the former hotel.

He also claimed up to 100 people with drug addictions had been visiting the building to take heroin there.

The Carrick councillor said they needed to deal with this problem and pointed out that pods and hostels were provided in Waterford for people with major drug addictions and issues that mean they can’t function in society so that they won’t die on the streets.

After hearing his comments, Cllr Ambrose responded that she wanted to make very clear that what these people were doing was breaking and entering as this was a privately-owned building. Entering it was illegal and no different to someone breaking into your house.

“Nobody should be in there unless it’s with the owners’ consent. This week the owners’ contractors have been in and hoarding has gone up to try and prevent people from accessing the building,” she added.

Responding to Cllr Dunne’s comment about the provision of hostel accommodation for homeless people, the council’s Director of Housing Sinead Carr said internationally there was a movement away from institutional type accommodation like hostels. Own-front door style accommodation was the way to go now.