Cllrs to discuss proposed Direct Provision Centre in Cavan
October monthly meeting takes place Monday at 2pm.
Members of Cavan County Council will on Monday discuss proposals for a Direct Provision Centre in Cavan.
The motion as been tabled by several local councillors- Aontú's Sarah O’Reilly, Fine Gael's Val Smith and Carmel Brady, Fianna Fail's Clifford Kelly and Aiden Fitzpatrick, and Sinn Féin's Paddy McDonald.
Part of the debate is certain to centre on plans to house asylum seekers at a former equestrian centre property in rural Castletara, where local residents claim their questions around issues such as planning permission, staff training, security, transport and amenities have gone unanswered.
The residents, who have been staging a round-the-clock protest at the facility for almost three weeks now, have raised a number of concerns with representatives of International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).
The community is asking who, or what body approved the property as being suitable to house asylum seekers.
The Department of Integration has been contacted for an up-to-date comment. It previously stated: “Contracts for accommodation are not agreed until such time as IPAS officials have been provided with evidence that all applicable building and planning obligations have been met by the provider.”
Similar concerns have been raised in the community of Cootehill over the potential use of the landmark White Horse Hotel to house refugees.
The Department of Integration in May confirmed that it is considering the suitability of the property to accommodate Ukrainian refugees.
There are currently no commercial direct provision providers operating in Cavan, however several large properties across the county are being used at present for emergency accommodation.
According to the department, emergency centres that opened prior to 2022 include Dún a Rí House Hotel, managed by Brimwood Ltd, owned by Laura McEnaney, a teacher and Monaghan Ladies footballer. It received payments of €15.78 million from the Irish State in 2020.
Brimwood also have two centres in Monaghan - Lisanisk House and Treacy’s Hotel, another at the Airport Manor Hotel in Dublin, and four more in Louth.
There were three more emergency centres opened in 2022 and to date in 2023. They include Castlehill Units, Belturbet, managed by Eoin McGuigan; Coleman Court, Monaghan-registered Rossblue Ltd; and Kilnaleck’s Copper Kettle, Clare-based Secure Accommodation Management Ltd.
The nearest commercial direct provision provider is Carraig Accommodation Centre (Townbe ULC) in Leitrim; Richmond Court (Mint Horizon Ltd) in Longford; Mosney Accommodation Centre in Meath; and St Patrick's Accommodation Centre (Tattonward) in Monaghan.
Councillors meet at Cavan Courhouse for their October monthly meeting at 2pm on Monday, October 9.