Dundrum House IPAS centre
Deputy Mattie McGrath objected to Dundrum House Hotel being converted into an IPAS centre, citing community concerns and alleged fire-certification issues. The Ceann Comhairle pressed for a reply and the Minister said she was not familiar with the case but would ask Minister O'Gorman to engage directly.
I return to the ongoing situation at the Dundrum House Hotel in Tipperary. The Department, under emergency legislation, housed 270 or 280 men, women and children from Ukraine and the community integrated and welcomed them. Now it has been decided to make it an IPAS centre, and many in the community, many others and I warned the Department of integration, the community engagement team and the Ministers that there was no fire certification for this building. Now we understand that, after lots of pressure on the fire officers in Tipperary County Council, Mr. Leo, who is part-owner of the hotel I might add, has engaged Frank C. Murray and Sons Construction to try to bring the building up to fire regulations standards. Approximately 70 IPAS people - women and children - have been put into a building that has no fire certification. This is reckless in the extreme.
The Minister for Justice spent €30,000 on a siege of the Dundrum House Hotel with 200 gardaí, including the dog squad. There were decent people who would not stop anybody going in there. Those people are in danger for their lives with no fire certification.
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy. I am not familiar with the specific case but I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to engage with the Deputy directly on this.