Works underway at controversial €5.6m drug rehab centre

NOELLE FINEGAN

Work has commenced on the controversial Narconon drug rehabilitation centre in Ballivor with construction on the 3,100 sqm facility expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Hoarding recently went up around the site at the former national school in the village which was purchased by Narconon Trust to develop a drug treatment centre that will accommodate 34 recovering addicts and 18 staff.

Narconon has not given any indication of when they intend to open the centre but have confirmed that construction work is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
Plans to open the controversial centre which the Narconon Trust claims uses “evidence based, drug free approach to rehabilitation" - developed by acclaimed author and humanitarian L.Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology - have attracted huge opposition locally and a protest was held in the village in January.   A petition signed by almost 1,000 people was presented to Meath County Council

Cathaoirleach Cllr Gerry O'Connor in advance of the February meeting of the Council and a copy was given to Health Minister Simon Harris during a national protest outside the Dáil on 6th March.
Narconon claims the centre will be worth in the region of €850,000 per year to the local area.

A spokesperson said: ”Narconon Ireland is happy to announce that construction has started on the new Narconon centre building in Ballivor. This centre is planned to serve the entire country and as a consequence, will bring business, jobs and investment to the locality. It is believed that the centre will be worth in the region of €850,000 per year to the local area, with food and supplies and up to six full time positions will be offered for catering, housekeeping and landscape maintenance.
“As the building progresses the numbers of construction workers will increase on site and we would envisage local shops seeing an increase in their business. Members of Narconon staff are also spending time visiting local businesses and getting to know our neighbours and residents in the area at present.” 

They say a new hoarding has been erected as a safety feature and that further work is being done to this to enhance the aesthetics.
Meanwhile, Bord Pleanala has not yet made its ruling on a section five application made by the local community and Trim Municipal District councillors questioning whether a change of use of planning permission should have been required by Narconon. 

The existing planning permission on site is for a nursing home. It emerged in recent months that Meath County Council had made a declaration to the Narconon Trust that a change of use would not be required for a drug rehabilitation centre. This view is now being challenged by two new referrals from the local community and local councillors. 
A decision is due on these referrals from An Bord Pleanala on 2nd July.

Narconon says obtained planning permission from Meath County Council in September 2016, which included a ‘Section 5’ Application when permission was granted for a change of use from nursing home to residential drug rehabilitation centre and they followed all required procedures as laid out in Irish planning laws and regulations. On that basis the building was purchased.

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