Council probe into status of accommodation being used to house international protection applicants

Paul Murphy

Meath Co Council officials have started investigations into the planning status of buildings being used to accommodate international protection applicants in Moynalvey.

The development, formerly known as Dorey's Forge and the Shanks Mare pub, at Collegelands and Arrodstown, near Summerhill, was at the centre of controversy in February when it was announced that the owner had signed a contract with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to house refugees there.

Several hundred people gathered at the local GAA Centre to protest at the lack of information concerning the premises being made available to the government department. At that meeting attended by several hundred people many speakers challenged the owner of the site about the intentions for the property, exactly who would occupy the premises.

There have been claims by residents that the location is unsuitable for housing refugees, the area has no local shops, is 4km away from the nearest village Summerhill and has no public transport facilities.

Although the meeting was told that neighbours near the centre were “110 per cent behind the reception of asylum seekers and refugees” and would not be found wanting in helping them, serious concerns still remains about the status of the centre and whether it meets all the conditions of its planning permission.

The owner of the premises, Mr Michael Corcoran was originally granted planning permission for short term holiday accommodation (maximum stay three months) but local residents represented by the Collegelands Liaison Committee say that is in conflict with a contract signed up with the Dept of Integration for 12 months.

Since the accommodation opened, a total of eight international protection applicants – two from Mauritius, four from Nigerian, and two from Georgia – have been received into the centre.

The residents’ committee states that it has written to the county council saying that “pods” are currently being erected at the Collegelands site. The committee quotes correspondence from the council planning department which states: “A condition of any grant of planning permission will require the public house to be in operation prior to the commencement of the proposed pods”.

The committee says that there is no pub functioning at Dorey's Forge (one of the names used for the premises along with Shanks Mare) and that there is no pub licence in existence there. It also asked the council what steps it was taking to enforce this condition of the planning approval.

The council has told residents that planning permission was granted to the owner (reference 191557) in the context of the Meath County Development Plan 2013-2019. It added that the development had been inspected and had been found to be “broadly in line with this planning permission”.

Since the planning permission had been granted the Planning and Development (Exempted Developments) Regulations had been updated to exempt certain changes of use. The council confirmed to residents that, in line with these regulations, it had received the required notice in advance of this change of use taking place.

At this stage the council is stating that it is unclear if the exemption set out in the legislation allows for the use of short stay holiday accommodation as temporary emergency accommodation. That question is being pursued in court by Leitrim County Council against Dromaprop Ltd and the case is due to be heard this month.

In that case, Leitrim Co Council alleges Dromaprop Limited intends to change the use of its Abbey Manor Hotel from a “specific form of tourist accommodation” to temporary use for asylum seekers and has carried out unauthorised works in preparation for this change.

The Co Meath residents have been told that once this is decided the county council here will be in a position to adjudicate on whether or not the use of the property formerly known as The Shanks Mare for this purpose, constitutes unauthorised development or if it is covered by the new regulations on exempted development.

The county council has not responded to requests for comment.

The Meath Chronicle contacted Michael Corcoran, the owner of the premises at Collegelands asking him to comment on the residents’ committee call to take planning enforcement action in relation to his site. He replied “All is fully compliant. There is a notification form between councils and providers for all short stay accommodations to be able to engage with the department in relation to 12 month or any other term contracts.”