The State paid more than €400 million to providers of accommodation to international protection applicants and people fleeing the war in Ukraine in the three months to the end of June, new figures show.
Separately, Dublin City Council paid more than €57 million to providers of emergency accommodation for homeless people during the same period.
The figures are contained in data on purchases of more than €20,000 for the period April to June published, separately, by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, and the council.
The department’s figures show €287 million was spent on providing accommodation to applicants for international protection, and €117 million on people who fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine, under the Government’s International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas).
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The overall figure is broadly similar to expenditure in the first quarter of this year, while the council spent approximately €6 million more on emergency accommodation in the second quarter as compared with the first three months of the year.
The McEnaney Group, one of the largest providers of emergency accommodation in the State, was paid more than €10 million by the council and more than €9 million by the department, the second quarter figures show.
The group comprises a range of companies owned by the former manager of the Monaghan GAA team, Seamus “Banty” McEnaney, and members of his wider family.
The group does not have a corporate structure so the above figures are based on payments made to companies known to be linked to the McEnaney family.
The department’s figures show that Cape Wrath Unlimited Co, part of the Tetrarch Capital investment group, was paid €15 million during the period for the accommodation of Ukrainians and international protection applicants.
In June, the State completed the purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre, which is used for the accommodation of Ukrainians and people seeking international protection, from Cape Wrath, for €148 million. The Government estimates it will save €1 billion over the next 25 years as a result of the purchase.
Guestford Ltd, trading as the Red Cow Moran Hotel, Dublin, was paid €11.34 million for the provision of accommodation to international protection applicants during the quarter.
Mosney Holidays Plc, owned by the McCloskey family and the operator of the direct provision centre in Co Meath, was paid €9.74 million during the period.
Other recipients of payments from the department included Bridgestock Care Ltd (€6.7 million); Fairkeep Ltd, trading as The D Hotel (€7.32 million); Major Ventures Ltd, trading as Carnbeg Hotel and Spa (€5.7 million); Igo Cafe Ltd, trading as Igo Emergency Mangement (€4.9 million); and Townbe Unlimited (€3.7 million).
Companies paid by the council for the provision of accommodation to homeless people include three companies: Forbairt Orga Tearanta, K&T Forbairt Developments Ltd and K&T Forbairt Properties Ltd, all based at the Sheldon Park Hotel, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12. They were paid a total of €4.9 million during the three months to the end of June.
Loux Ltd, Finnstown Castle Hotel, Lucan, Co Dublin, was paid €2.9 million; Laupteen Unlimited, trading as My Place, Gardiner Street, Dublin 2, was paid €1.67 million; and Ampbay Ltd, Parliament Street, Dublin 2, trading as the Paramount Hotel, was paid €1 million.
Responsibility for providing accommodation to applicants for international protection and people who fled the war in Ukraine was transferred to the Department of Justice in May but the Department of Children continued to make payments on its behalf during the second quarter.
Dublin City Council began including the names of companies being paid for the provision of emergency accommodation this year. Most local authorities do not include information on the providers of homeless accommodation in their quarterly purchasing disclosures.
