Guesthouse on outskirts of Tullamore to be used as international protection centre

A guesthouse on the outskirts of Tullamore has been contracted for use as an accommodation centre for international protection applicants.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has confirmed to Independent TD Carol Nolan that Lynch’s Townhouse, Arden Road, Tullamore has been contracted for use as an accommodation centre for international protection applicants.

The property is a guesthouse located on the outskirts of Tullamore, Co. Offaly, and has previously housed beneficiaries of the Temporary Protection Directive due to the war in Ukraine.

The Department informed Deputy Nolan that 35 beds in 15 rooms and will be provided and that the contract with this centre has been initially signed for a period of one year:

“The conversion of local amenities and buildings will continue. Indeed, I fully expect sites such as the Townhouse to be acquired at an even faster pace in 2025 given the expected arrival of 15-20k international protection applicants based on the Government’s own predictions,” said Deputy Nolan.

“It is now clear that although we are often told properties of this type will only be used ‘temporarily,’ the reality is that for all intents and purposes they are permanently removed from use as anything other than an IPAS accommodation centre,” concluded Deputy Nolan.