Security costs for former Athlone IPAS centre revealed
Security costs for the former IPAS centre in Athlone totalled almost a half a million euro, it has emerged.
Details of the security costs for the Midlands Accommodation Centre at Lissywollen were disclosed on foot of a parliamentary question by Aontú Leader, Deputy Peadar Tóibín.
A total of €480,259 was spent on security at the Midlands Accommodation Centre in Lissywollen across 2025 and 2026. The figures show that €54,452.25 was spent in 2025 and €425,806.92 this year.
Figures were provided by the Department of Justice in relation to two State-owned centres: the Midlands Accommodation Centre, Lissywollen in Westmeath and River Lodge, Newtownmountkennedy in Wicklow.
The reply revealed that €357,747 was spent at River Lodge, Newtownmountkennedy, in 2024, rising to €1.3 million in 2025, with a further €480,408 spent in 2026.
In total, security spending at the two sites amounted to more than €2.62 million.
The Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said: “The need for security at these sites is informed by previous instances of criminal damage at these locations.”
The controversial IPAS centre in Lissywollen was originally designed to cater for up to 1,000 male international protection applicants. The first residents moved into the temporary accommodation before the end of 2024. The centre was closed last year on foot of a successful High Court challenge brought by four Athlone councillors.
A contractor has been appointed by Department of Justice to begin restoring the site of a former International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre in Athlone to its previous condition.
The controversial temporary IPAS centre in Lissywollen was originally designed to cater for up to 1,000 male international protection applicants, but was closed last year on foot of a successful High Court challenge brought by four Athlone councillors.
Recently, the Department of Justice confirmed it had appointed a contractor to restore the site to its previous condition. It said it expected the work to be concluded in January.
The Minister’s parliamentary reply indicated that in all IPAS accommodation centres, whether they are commercially provided or State-owned, centre management and providers are responsible for day-to-day operational arrangements on the site, including security arrangements.
“Security costs and service provision for commercially contracted centres are included in the overall contracted rate with the service provider. All contracts negotiated now provide for an all-inclusive rate, that covers all services on the site, including security,” the Minister said.
In a statement, Deputy Peadar Tóibín said: "Incredibly, the State has spent more than €2.6 million securing just two empty IPAS centres in three years. Taxpayers will be rightly asking how such extraordinary levels of expenditure can be justified at sites with no residents."
"These are just two centres out of more than 300 IPAS facilities across the State. It is extremely concerning that the Government cannot provide a total figure for security spending because these costs are buried within wider accommodation contracts. The Department cannot tell us how much is being spent or who is receiving the money. The lack of transparency means the true cost of security across the IPAS estate is hidden from taxpayers who are footing the bill."
"The Government must provide a full breakdown of security spending across the IPAS estate and identify all companies receiving public funds for these services. The fact that more than €2.6 million was spent on security at two unoccupied centres while the State cannot account for wider security expenditure raises serious questions about transparency, oversight and value for money,” he added.