Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath says he expects that the Department of Integration will transport persons seeking asylum in Ireland to accommodation being contracted at Dundrum House Hotel(DHH) complex within the next 24 hours.
The Government announced in May that it intended to use some vacant beds at DHH for Asylum seekers and that in time the complex with hotel rooms and self-catering houses will become entirely an International Protection Accommodation Service(IPAS) facility.
Since early 2022 the complex is in use to provide accommodation for refugees from the war in Ukraine.
The local community have opposed the creation of an IPAS centre and want the DHH complex to be operated as a social, recreational and economic facility in the west Tipperary community.
The Department says the number of occupants at the facility will be capped at 277 persons.
Tipperary County Council’s responsibility in relation to accommodation for Asylum Seekers and Refugees from Ukraine varies according to the situation according to Brian Beck the Director of Services.
In some cases, the Department of Integration sends the Council a Letter of Intent – a notification from the Department that they intend to enter into a contract with the property owners, on the basis that certain works are completed before an agreed deadline date.
This will also include BCMS and Fire Certification to be in place.
If such negotiations are ongoing between the property owner and the Department – the Council’s Ukraine Response Team acts as intermediary.
Tipperary County Council has established a six person “Integration Team”.
This team is “currently developing a Coordination Model which highlights the services currently available in the county.”
Through ongoing Integration Clinics with BOTPs (Ukrainian Refugees) and International Protection Applicants the Council is developing an overview of where gaps in services lie.
These issues are then escalated to the Community Integration Forum and the Integration Working Group.
The Community Integration Forum is chaired by the Tipperary Council Chief Executive Officer, Ms Sinead Carr and is attended by representatives from the Tipperary County Council Executive, An Cathaoirleach – Cllr Declan Burgess, HSE, Tipperary ETB, Tusla, REALT, LCDC, Local Development Companies, An Garda Síochána, and other community and youth agencies.
Issues which are addressed at the Integration Forum and Working Group meetings are actioned where possible, however, there are always constraints in terms of resources available according to Mr Beck.
In situations where a property owner expresses an interest in refurbishing a property for use as an IPAS Accommodation centre the Council responds to requests for planning and fire safety input when contacted by IPAS.
While it is not standard practice for IPAS, it is the practice of Tipperary County Council to also provide IPAS with it’s concerns in relation to the lack of resources (schools, GPs, public transportation etc.) in an area.
However, the decision on whether or not to proceed lies with the Government International Protection Service.
