The State argued before the High Court yesterday that there was an urgent need to accommodate more asylum-seekers, with 10,938 applications for asylum last year.
The accommodation issue was highlighted by the State when opposing proceedings by 12 Ballsbridge residents, members of the Nutley Residents' Association, in which they sought a number of declarations to prevent premises formerly owned by the Franciscan Order from being converted, they claim, into a reception centre for asylum-seekers.
The premises, formerly Broc House, Nutley Lane, Dublin, were a religious house owned and built by the Franciscans in 1971 as a hostel for students from Gormanston College who were attending UCD.
There were about 30 bedrooms, but only about 20 were available for student occupation.
The residents have applied to Mr Justice Gilligan for a declaration preventing the premises from being converted into a three-storey block to be used as a reception centre for asylum-seekers. The property is believed to have been purchased by the State in 2000.
The residents claim the proposed change of use is not exempted under Section 4 of the Planning Act.
Opposing the application, the State said the centre would be used as a residential hostel for asylum-seekers but not as a reception centre.
The change did not involve a material change having regard to the existing authorised use of the premises.
In an affidavit, Mr Brendan Molloy, an engineer, said it appeared that the directorate for the Asylum Support Service proposed to accommodate about 100 persons on a family basis in Broc House.
The case continues today.