Citywest Hotel receives almost €17m for asylum seeker and refugee accommodation in third quarter

Top hotel brands among recipients of €1.4bn in State cash during first nine months of 2024

The Citywest Hotel and refugee centre in Saggart, West Dublin. Photograph: Collins
The Citywest Hotel and refugee centre in Saggart, West Dublin. Photograph: Collins

The owner of the country’s largest hotel, Citywest, received €16.87 million for accommodating Ukrainians and International Protection (IP) applicants in a three-month period last year.

The latest quarterly figures published by the Department of Integration show the fees paid to Tetrarch Capital firm, Cape Wrath UC, covering July to the end of September, brings to €51.27 million the amount it received for the first nine months of last year.

More broadly, the State paid accommodation providers €476.14 million to accommodate IP applicants and Ukrainian refugees in the third quarter, with large payouts going to some of the country’s best-known hotel brands.

Just short of €1.4 billion was paid out to the end of September, an average of €5.1 million per day.

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One of those to benefit was Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae whose Rosemount Guest House received €172,680 during the third quarter. It has received €1.2 million over two years.

Over the three-month period, the department paid €265 million for IP applicant accommodation, an 11 per cent increase on the €239 million during the previous March to June quarter.

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Conversely, the cost of accommodating Ukrainians has reduced — €210 million was paid for the three months to the end of September, compared to €254 million for the prior three-month period, down 17 per cent.

IGO Emergency Management Services received the second highest amount during third quarter at €14.6 million, while the operator of the Red Cow hotel, Guestford, received €8.5 million.

Travelodge Hotels received €5.74 million for the third quarter while Holiday Inn Dublin Airport received €8.23 million. Tifco, the owner of Travelodge in Ireland, received €3.34 million for housing IP applicants during the quarter.

Owners of Drogheda’s D Hotel received €6 million. A company controlled by former Monaghan GAA football manager Seamus Banty McEnaney, Brimwood UC, received €4.7 million for the quarter.

Dublin firm, Winward Management Ltd, owned by hotelier Patrick Coyle, received €5.5 million for accommodating Ukrainians.

The figures also show that Mosney Holidays plc received €9.6 million for accommodating IP applicants and Allpro Security Services received €8.4 million for the third quarter.