Former Westport guesthouse earmarked for International Protection accommodation

UP to ten families seeking International Protection have been earmarked to receive accommodation in a former guest house in Westport.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) confirmed that the former Augusta Lodge Guesthouse on the Golf Course Road in Westport will provide accommodation for up to ten women and children seeking international protection.

Local representatives recently received an email from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to inform them that it is the intention of the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to move International Protection (IP) applicants into the former guesthouse on the Golf Course Road.

There is no timeline given in the correspondents to the local representatives for the arrival of the International Protection applicants to Westport but a group of women and children have been earmarked to avail of the property which is currently vacant.

In a response to The Mayo News The Department of Integration stated they do not comment on transfers or occupancy figures for individual sites 'given the fluid and emergency nature of its requirement to provide shelter for International Protection (IP) applicants, and their right to privacy and anonymity'.

However they confirmed that the ten bedroom property will be managed by housing charity, Depaul Housing on behalf of the Department to support International Protection applicants.

“Depaul Housing will manage the property on behalf of DCEDIY, and Depaul Ireland will provide 24/7 support to the IP applicants accommodated at the property. The accommodation will be for families of international protection applicants. The capacity is for up to ten women and their children, across ten bedrooms,” the statement read.

Under EU and International Law, Ireland is obliged to examine the claim of any person who arrives into the country and claims International Protection. While the claims are being examined, IPAS offers accommodation and related services to International Protection applicants who wish to accept the offer of accommodation from the Irish State.

The former guest house on the Golf Course Road was purchased in 2022 by The Housing Agency, on behalf of DCEDIY who stated it was purchased for the accommodation for people seeking international protection, and used to provide accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine as an emergency measure.

The leasing of the building to the Peter McVerry Trust in 2022 caused controversy at the time with local councillors expressing concern it was to become a residence for homeless people with alcohol and drug addictions. This was refuted by the Peter McVerry Trust who described the speculation as ‘baseless and uninformed’ and that they made the accommodation available just to accommodate Ukrainian refugees. The building was accommodated by Ukrainian refugees for a period of time but it is currently vacant.

Mayo County Council made national headlines in January when it passed an all-party motion which stated that 'all co-operation ceases immediately, between the staff of Mayo County Council and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland, until such time as an agreed strategy is put in place to properly coordinate the provision of additional services for the communities hosting refugees and international protection applicants'.

Local councillor Peter Flynn, who forwarded the motion, told The Mayo News that the council have not received any information from the Department regarding any such strategy and as result the motion remains and he is not cooperating with them.

He said he was not aware of when any International Protection applicants will arrive at Augusta Lodge but does not believe it is suitable accommodation.

“We passed a motion whereby we will have no cooperation with the department until such time we had a strategy laid out before us and that has not happened. The motion has not been rescinded and in my view nothing has changed.

“That house was purchased by the department before the Ukrainian War and I have always said it is unsuitable and it should have remained a guest house. It was never suitable as a drop-in centre for Peter McVerry or any other similar organisation and it is still my view. It is wholly unsuitable,” he said.