Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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653. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality whether existing gym and pool services in Citywest Hotel will continue to be open to local residents following the decision by Government to purchase the hotel with the intention of making it an IPAS centre; if information of what services will remain open to residents can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34398/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Cabinet provided approval on 17 June 2025 for the State purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre for international protection accommodation.

The purchase of the site is a key part of the Government’s strategy to develop a stable and sustainable accommodation system for people seeking international protection by moving away from commercial properties to State-owned centres.

State-owned centres are part of the Government’s long-term plan to reduce the reliance on private accommodation providers in communities resulting in better value for money of public funds and a more efficient international protection system.

The purchase of Citywest makes prudent financial sense for the State, compared to the current costs of leasing the site. The purchase represents a payback period to the State of approximately 4 years, and over 25 years, the purchase and operating cost model offer savings of more than €1billion, while delivering a permanent State asset.

The State has been leasing the site since 2020, first as part of the COVID-19 response and subsequently since 2022 as a transit hub and accommodation centre for Ukrainian citizens and people seeking international protection.

There are no immediate plans to increase capacity at the site as part of the purchase.

The Department is also in ongoing discussions to ensure the leisure centre on the site remains open to the public following the purchase. The leisure centre has approximately 3,000 members and is a valuable amenity for the local community.

Following the purchase, the Department will initiate a transition plan with the current service provider for a period of 12 months to ensure there is no disruption to the accommodation services at the site.

The service provider will continue to oversee the management and provision of services including catering, cleaning, maintenance and security, resident check in, operational support, finance and other services.

The purchase of this site comes with a strong commitment to engagement with the local community and the Department's Community Engagement team has now begun working with local community leaders, community groups and stakeholders and will keep people in the area informed about progress on the purchase.