More than 100 refugees to be housed in former Mallow hotel

Longueville House is a 303-year-old listed Georgian country house hidden in the heart of a 400-acre wooded estate overlooking the Blackwater valley. It operated for years as a hotel and guest house, and earned a national and international reputation for its fine cuisine and warm hospitality but it was offered for sale for some €7m in July 2022 when its then owners decided to retire.

The property is now leased to Earlsline Ltd for five years. Company records show that the firm was set up in 2022, that it has an address in Dublin but its directors are based in Monaghan.

The department said a one-year contract will be signed with the provider for the use of the property for emergency accommodation. The department will manage the arrival of people into this centre and Earlsline Ltd will have staff on-site 24 hours a day and there will be a manager and/or security staff on site at all times.

Living conditions

The property has 20 ensuite bedrooms and a standalone cottage with seven bedrooms, giving it a total bed capacity of 123. All bedrooms are well furnished to a high standard and the cottage has its own kitchen and living areas in a rear courtyard.

Self-catering services will be provided on the site and the residents will be provided with a weekly voucher for a local shop. Each resident will have toiletries replenished weekly and other essentials such as toilet paper replenished as needed.

The facility will have high-speed fibre wifi, while the property is supplied with fire-fighting equipment, fire alarms, and security cameras fitted throughout the common walking areas.

The department said it is not possible to say with certainty what the length of stay will be given the number of IP applicants arriving in Ireland and the scarcity of alternative accommodation.

International protection numbers

The department is currently providing 31,032 people seeking International Protection with State-sourced accommodation and support services.

In addition to that, since February 2022, it is also providing accommodation to 64,374 people who have fled the war in Ukraine, resulting in over 95,400 people in State-provided or pledged accommodation in Ireland, and that number continues to increase. In the last six months there has been an average of 560 people seeking accommodation every week.

“Given the scale and urgency of the operation to source accommodation for new arrivals, manage and process them appropriately, and transfer and settle them into their new homes and communities, there has been a requirement to act at pace, with developments often happening at very short notice,” the department said.

“The pressure to accommodate over 95,400 new people in such a short period of time has led to significant shortages. The department has been forced to avail of all offers of accommodation made, right across the country, in order to address the accommodation shortfall. 

“We are working to improve how new accommodation is sourced, and how these developments are communicated to local communities. Our aim is to enhance communications and engagement and give communities more access to information and updates on what is happening in their community.”