LIVE: Council admits it was wrong to give all-clear to IPAS centre in Dundrum House Hotel

Tipperary County Council has confirmed that a planning exemption given to Dundrum House Hotel for use as an IPAS centre should not have been given.

The council released a statement on Tuesday afternoon stating that "the Planning Authority proceeded on the basis of inaccurate information" and that the "Appropriate Assessment Screening Report that accompanied the Section 5 assessment was flawed".

In a special meeting on Monday of the Tipperary/Cahir/Cashel Municipal District, the council’s legal team advised the meeting that the section 5 planning exemption given to the hotel should not have been granted.

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The council sought legal advice after Dundrum Heritage Group asked for a judicial review to take place regarding the council’s decision to provide a planning exemption for the development.

Tipperary County Council has confirmed it will not contest the Judicial Review brought by the Dundrum Heritage Group to quash the Section 5 declaration issued in respect of Dundrum House.

Tipperary County Council may also now be liable for the legal fees of the group who sought this judicial review of the premises, Dundrum Heritage Group.

Following the news, local TD Mattie McGrath has called on the Minister for Justice to immediately terminate the State contract with Utmasta Ltd, the company that owns the hotel.

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The TD said that there was clear evidence of non-compliance with planning laws which has been confirmed by Tipperary County Council today.

Deputy McGrath said the Minister’s own Parliamentary Question (PQ) reply dated May 1, 2025 confirms that IPAS contracts are only to be entered into where providers are compliant with statutory requirements and minimum standards, including planning, fire safety, and building regulations.

“The Minister’s reply states clearly that the onus is on the provider to ensure full compliance with planning and building laws. It also confirms that the Department reviews compliance with local authorities as part of the contract process,” Deputy McGrath stated.

Deputy McGrath said the Minister can no longer “hide behind bureaucracy” or ignore the legal reality.

“This contract is built on a foundation of non-compliance. The State cannot proceed with a two-year, multi-million-euro contract when the planning status of the facility is legally unsound.

He also warned that continuing with the contract could expose the Department to further legal costs and reputational damage, as Tipperary County Council may now be liable for the legal fees of the Dundrum Heritage Group.

“I am demanding the immediate cancellation of this contract, and I am also seeking clarification on what compliance checks were actually carried out by the Department prior to signing this agreement.”

“From the beginning, I have made it clear that the process surrounding Dundrum House was flawed, secretive, and showed a complete disregard for planning regulations and local democracy,” said Deputy McGrath.

Deputy McGrath is also calling for a full review of how the Department of Justice and Tipperary County Council handled the matter, including the use of Section 5 declarations in IPAS placements.

Deputy McGrath expressed his appreciation to the local residents in Dundrum who have fought this matter tooth and nail since May 2024 against blocks and obfuscation from the Local Authority and Department of Integration.

“I have stood with the people of Dundrum since May 2024 and I am delighted that the people of Dundrum have been vindicated. This contract must now be immediately rescinded, and this cannot be allowed to happen again in any rural village or heritage site. Planning laws must be upheld, and communities must be respected,” he concluded.