'IPAS centres are so lucrative you have individuals exploiting this,' says Tipperary TD

Concerns have been raised by Deputy Mattie McGrath in the Dáil this morning about the issue of hotels turning into IPAS centres in Tipperary.

The Tipperary South TD raised the issue with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth this morning.

“I’m very disappointed in the minister for justice about the situation on the procurement of hotels, I know you have responsibility for this, right through the country, but especially in Tipperary. I’m talking about Racket Hall in Roscrea and Dundrum House Hotel, which is a landmark and a beacon of our tourism industry.

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"And now, the beautiful Kilcoran Lodge Hotel which has been in operation for over 125 years. There’s wonderful staff there also and I empathise and sympathise with them. Hearns Hotel in Clonmel, these are all hotels for tourism. We had a 25% reduction in tourism figures this January, and 30% in February, if that’s not alarming to you or the government, it’s shocking. This is a shocking indictment on the democratic process here in Dáil Eireann.

“With Kilcoran Lodge Hotel, they have shady owners, we don’t know who owns it. Now the genies out of the bottle as we’ve found out they have applied for a section five with Tipperary County Council. All they want is a quick buck, they're not interested in the community.

"We’re not anti-migrating, but to do this is reckless in the extreme. To take long-standing businesses that are giving employment and are a great resource with no consultation. Telling elected representatives after a contract is signed, is nothing short of scandalous.

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"You have it in your own documentation that you can’t change a demographic to more than 5% in areas where an IPAS centre is. Dundrum is being changed by 125% because there’s 220 people in the village and you’ll be putting in over 280 people.

"It’s so lucrative you have individuals exploiting this. People can’t get transport in Ballylooby but yet you’re prepared to arrange transport for IPAS people, it’s discrimination against the people of South Tipperary."

Norma Foley, who is Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, wasn’t there to answer Deputy McGrath but Junior Minister Emer Higgins responded to his queries.

“The agreement to not contract IPAS accommodation in a given town's only operating hotel was accepted by the government and agreed on the basis of not removing an important current amenity, however this was based on not accepting new contracts. Huge efforts are being made to bring in long-term accommodation facilities."

The Junior Minister ended by saying that last year 12,000 beds were returned from Ukrainian accommodation to the tourism sector.