Dundrum House heritage concerns
Michael Murphy warned that the former Dundrum House hotel’s protected manor was deteriorating while the site operated as IPAS accommodation, raising planning, transparency and heritage concerns. The Taoiseach described the Department of Justice’s contractual and regulatory requirements and indicated that the matter required proper documentation and compliance checks.
The State continues to fund an international protection accommodation services, IPAS, centre on the site of the former historic Dundrum House Hotel despite repeated concerns raised by me around due diligence, transparency, planning compliance and the protection of our built heritage. On the issue of planning compliance, a decision of An Bord Pleanála is imminent. In recent days, however, further evidence has emerged of the serious and accelerating deterioration of a protected structure on the site, that is, the manor house. What was once an important historic building is now being used as a dumping and storage area for the operation of the IPAS centre. There are broken and missing windows and stripped out interiors. It is a building left vacant, unsecured and exposed to the elements. Does the Government accept that public funds should never be used in a manner that facilitates the neglect of our architectural heritage? What immediate action will it take to ensure this protected structure is secure and preserved?
Comment on this
It has been providing accommodation under contract to the Department of justice since 2022 for people fleeing the war in Ukraine and people applying for international protection. A new contract commenced in April 2025 at this property to provide accommodation to people and families seeking international protection in Ireland. Then, a proper template must be completed and sent to the Department of justice. That requires details of accommodation services offered and regulatory matters like planning, building regulations, valid fire certification, insurance and staffing details. Once all that documentation is received, a contract may be offered. Confirmation of the required planning exemption for the local authority was provided to the Department of justice as part of agreeing this new contract. Valid insurance details were also reviewed as part of this process. Tipperary County Council acknowledged in court proceedings during 2025 that the granting of a pending exemption to the property in January 2025 had an administrative flaw in the process.
