BREAKING: Contract signed to house over 250 asylum seekers in Tipperary hotel

A contract has been signed to house over 250 asylum seekers in Dundrum House Hotel.

The hotel has been used as a centre for refugees since early 2022, when Ukrainian refugees began to take up residency in the hotel following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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The hotel made national news last summer, when roughly 80 international protection applicants were relocated onto the grounds of the hotel, sparking outrage amongst many locals, who have been protesting outside the gates of the hotel since May of last year.

Speaking on the signing of the new contract, Cllr Liam Browne posted on his social media, saying: "I'm extremely disappointed to have to pass on this news, but I've just been informed that the DCEDIY have signed a contract for 277 IPAS applicants to be accomodated at Dundrum House.

"We've not yet been told when people will be moving into Dundrum House, but expect it to be relatively soon.

"Since this was first mooted last year, I've said this is the wrong decision. Moving such numbers into a small rural area, without first addressing the lack of services in the area, causes problems both for local residents and for those being accomodated.

"There are also serious issues around the ownership and planning status of Dundrum House, which are currently being investigated in the courts.

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"The Government have been at fault in regards of communicating with local residents from day one, countrywide, and are now leaving down the vast majority of residents in Dundrum and West Tipperary again.

"I've said from the beginning, in my opinion, this is a money racket, and once again, we're seeing millions of euro of taxpayers money being paid out, with only the barest of accountability.

"Whoever made this decision, made the wrong one," he concluded.