Courts

Residents in Dundrum, Co Tipperary, go to court over local asylum plan

Protests outside the hotel began in May as locals voiced concerns it would be turned into a facility for international protection applicants

Ms Justice Niamh Hyland told the group it was not possible to amend the title of the High Court proceedings as requested as 'the people of Dundrum' were not a legal entity. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
Mon Jul 29 2024 - 18:58

Residents of Dundrum village in Co Tipperary have gone to the High Court in an attempt to challenge any attempt to use a local hotel to house asylum seekers. A group of about 30 people were in the Four Courts as they gave notice of their intention to seek injunctions and mount a legal challenge against planning and development regulations.

The Dundrum House Hotel has accommodated Ukrainian refugees for the last two years, and locals are objecting to any continued use of the hotel to house international protection applicants. They want to stop the use of the Planning and Development (exempted Development) regulations of 2023 which allows buildings to be used to house international protections applicants. They also want an injunction stopping the former mansion being used to house international protection applicants.

A full-time demonstration, which began outside the hotel in late May, is continuing. Protests outside the hotel began as locals voiced concerns that it would be turned into a facility for international protection applicants, with some in the area claiming hundreds could be moved into the premises.

In the High Court on Monday, Patrick McGreal, from Co Westmeath, who has mounted proceedings against the Minister for Housing, sought to have “the people of Dundrum” included in the title of the action. Representing himself in court, he said the community had a substantial interest in the proceedings.

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Ms Justice Niamh Hyland told the group it was not possible to amend the title of the proceedings as requested as “the people of Dundrum” were not a legal entity. The judge told the group it was at the very beginning of a process which is highly regulated, and she said everything had to be put on affidavit and filed with the court.

She adjourned the matter to come before the court again on Wednesday.

Two years ago locals in Dundrum welcomed 277 Ukrainian refugees to Dundrum House Hotel. Locals claim a Government briefing note sent to local political representatives on May 29th last said the hotel was now a “hybrid property”, meaning it would accommodate international protection applicants as well as the Ukrainian refugees.