Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

That is not accurate. The hotel was closed but the Crowe family operated a successful and wonderful business there. I was at numerous weddings and many other events there. The golf course and the pro shop were open and indeed the venue was operating as a restaurant and everything else. It was effectively running while the hotel was damaged by fire. The Taoiseach does not seem to get the issue. We are dealing with rogue contractors. We pointed out to the integration team - Deputy Michael Murphy and I pointed this out to the Minister - that it was outside the law and that the council gave a section 5 exemption in error. It has conceded that. Now the hotel has gone back for another section 5 exemption, which the council has kicked to An Coimisiún Pleanála. It is just a game of Russian roulette and money for fat cats. The real problem is that the Government is paying too much per person who is being housed by IPAS. The Taoiseach is wrong in saying that the Department of justice gave the contract. It was the former Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and his Department at the time that ran amok and invited everyone from Timbuktu to Ireland, to come and have their own front door in 30 days or something. This is crazy. The people deserve better here. They deserve a better reply from the Taoiseach. I want the Taoiseach to instruct the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, to meet Deputy Murphy and me. We have been trying to meet him to look at this situation urgently.

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