Potential solutions to planning issues at Athlone IPAS centre being explored
The Government is continuing to explore potential solutions to the planning issues at the new accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Athlone.
The statement comes amid an ongoing hearing in the legal challenge taken by Athlone councillors against the State's development of a new centre for 1,000 male asylum seekers in Lissywollen.
A hearing took place in the High Court on Monday and has been adjourned to May 12.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, Mayor of Athlone Moate Municipal District Cllr Frankie Keena said the new date had been set by Ms Justice Emily Farrell to allow the State submit an affidavit “on new information”, and to facilitate submissions in response from the councillors' legal team.
The legal proceedings were initially announced last November, when the local councillors stated that they would be seeking to bring a judicial review of the Section 181 order issued by the then-Minister Roderic O'Gorman in order to commence works for the development in Lissywollen last October
In December, the State indicated it was conceding the legal challenge, which was being brought on environmental grounds, and the court was told that the Lissywollen development would be regarded as unauthorised.
However, a final decision on the future of the site is still being awaited, and the High Court was previously told that the Minister is seeking a six-month stay on any order made by the court.
Some 180 residents moved into the temporary accommodation centre in December,
The case is being taken by Cllr Paul Hogan, supported by Mayor Keena and Cllrs John Dolan and Aengus O’Rourke.
Mayor Keena, in a statement, said the State Senior Counsel told the court the Government is preparing to draft legislation to enable developments under Section 181 of the Planning & Development Act 2000 to seek substitute consent.
The Ministerial order directing work on the temporary accommodation in Athlone relied on Section 181 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Substitute consent is a mechanism to regularise development that was carried out without the necessary planning permission.
Mayor Keena said the court was also told that Ministerial changes in relation to responsibility for integration issues would be finalised this week.
The Mayor said: “Ms. Justice Farrell then invited the State solicitor to send in an affidavit on this new information and requested submissions from our legal team on this affidavit, and she set a new date of May 12 to hear this case for the stay application.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth noted the ongoing legal proceeings in relation to the planning process
"The matter has been adjourned by the High Court until 12 May 2025 to enable the Departments of Justice and of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to continue to explore potential solutions to the planning issues at this site.
"IPAS will continue to provide accommodation for approximately 150 people seeking international protection at the Midlands Accommodation Centre while legal matters are in progress.
"There are currently over 3,100 international protection applicants that have not been offered accommodation since 2024.
"Sites such as this centre in Athlone are part of a Government strategy to find solutions for the need for accommodation, with an emphasis on State-owned accommodation options and an ongoing move away from commercial emergency accommodation."