Midlands Accommodation Centre, Lissywollen, Athlone
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is planning to open an accommodation centre for people seeking International Protection at Lissywollen, Athlone.
People in the area will have questions about this and we want to provide accurate information about what is known and planned for this site.
Our Department is at a very early stage in the design and development of the accommodation centre but will be sharing information with local stakeholders now, and as the project develops.
An agreement has been reached between the OPW and DCEDIY for use of a portion of the site at Lissywollen, Athlone. The site being developed at Lissywollen is approximately eleven acres. The site is being developed to provide tented and modular accommodation for international protection applicants. Work to enable provision of accommodation at this site will commence soon.
DCEDIY has contracted Trailhead Unlimited to manage the site. Trailhead has expertise in providing facilities management services and they have worked with the Department in the past to provide accommodation for people who have fled the war in Ukraine.
Accommodation for international protection applicants is urgently needed. The Government is developing a range of sites on existing State land for emergency tented accommodation, prefabricated and modular units. We are also working on conversion of commercial buildings, and targeted purchasing of turnkey properties. Accommodation is being sourced and delivered all over the country.
Midlands Accommodation Centre at Lissywollen is part of this strategy.
The accommodation will be for single adult males who are seeking international protection.
Construction is due to commence in the coming weeks. The site will be occupied on a phased basis. It is expected that the site will be ready for the first group of approximately 100 people five to six weeks after the works begin.
The development is being progressed by Ministerial Order (MO) as notified to Westmeath County Council on 7 October 2024. This process is being used as the State responds to extreme challenges in terms of accommodation for people seeking protection in Ireland.
Appropriate Assessment (AA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screenings have been completed and the site has been deemed suitable as an accommodation centre for people seeking International Protection.
The Department will comply with all the statutory regulations that apply to the project.
EIA 16092024 Screening Report Lissywollen, Athlone, RESS Ltd.
• Trailhead’s staff will be present 24/7.
• Residents will be provided with a copy of the House Rules which explains how the centre is managed. All residents are expected to follow the House Rules.
• All accommodation centres for people seeking international protection have security protection.
• There is and will continue to be a security presence on the site. A fence will be erected around the perimeter of the accommodation centre.
• All centre residents are free to come and go from the centre, as they wish, but they must sign in and out with security.
• The goal is to deliver high-performance tents on site to accommodate up to 1000 people. Each tent will accommodate approximately ten people, with sufficient space for each resident in accordance with National Standards.
• Tented accommodation is viewed as a short-term solution that allows the Department time to source longer-term alternatives such as modular units.
• Catering facilities will be set up on site. Residents will receive three meals per day as well as access to other consumables.
• The contractor will provide a sufficient number of eco-toilets and shower blocks for residents.
• Waste water will be removed from the site on a routine basis. The development of longer-term waste water solutions is being investigated and will form part of plans for more permanent accommodation solutions on the site. As plans progress, more information on services will be finalised and shared.
DCEDIY is working closely with both the HSE and our site management contractor to ensure that adequate health services are provided to residents. The Department is working with the HSE to ensure they have an active presence on site, conducting regular clinics to provide essential healthcare. People can be referred onward to other dental or specialist healthcare services. The site management team will also collaborate with the HSE to address any challenges and bridge any shortcomings in services that may arise in the initial phase of site development.
DCEDIY is liaising with the National Transport Agency (NTA) to assess public transport options such as the A1 to ensure such services are sufficiently supported for all. A shuttle bus service will be operated for residents from Lissywollen to Athlone town in the morning, and afternoon. The service will be scaled accordingly as the accommodation centre grows, with further provisions to bring residents to appointments and activities.
Trailhead will engage with NGOs to assist and promote the social integration of residents. Trailhead will schedule activities to promote the wellbeing and integration of residents. Weekly classes and workshops will take place including English language classes, CV building and job preparation workshops, introduction to life in Ireland and how to access supports and services.
Consultation with Trailhead is underway and a traffic management plan will be provided in due course.
Trailhead will commence works in the coming weeks. When works are completed, the Department will carry out a full inspection of the centre to ensure it meets necessary standards.
Specific site feasibility studies will be conducted in the future should plans for modular accommodation progress. Such work has not yet commenced.
The Department’s Community Engagement Team was established to engage directly with elected representatives, relevant local authorities, local development agencies, and other entities and individuals. The purpose of the team is to improve the flow of information regarding arrivals into areas and to equip local communities with accurate information required to understand the current situation.
The Community Engagement Team will brief local elected representatives and will schedule meetings with community stakeholders as soon as possible.
Find out more about the Community Engagement Team here.
Contact the Community Engagement Team: community@equality.gov.ie
The Local Authority Integration Team (LAIT) provides ongoing integration supports to people seeking international protection, linking them with local service providers. The LAIT co-ordinator in Westmeath County Council can be contacted via integration@westmeathcoco.ie
Community based organisations may wish to begin to plan to support the integration of people seeking international protection. There is funding available under the National Migrant Integration Strategy for the Community Recognition Fund and Community Integration Fund.
The Community Recognition Fund aims to support the development of community infrastructure and facilities for the entire community in recognition of the contribution being made by communities across the country in welcoming and hosting significant numbers of arrivals from Ukraine and other countries. €50 million is being provided under the Community Recognition Fund 2024. Westmeath County Council has been awarded €1,740,646. More information is available here.
The CIF enables community-based organisations across Ireland to build on their vital work in reaching out to, and helping to, integrate migrants into local communities. Successful organisations will receive grant funding of €1,000 – €5,000 to support local integration initiatives. Applicants can access a detailed guidance at the link here. €500,000 will be made available to local community-based projects nationwide to support the integration of migrants.
International Protection is the protection granted by a government to someone who has left another country to escape being harmed. All around the world, war and other crises mean that people have to leave their homes. Most of them stay near their home country, but some people travel and apply for international protection. There has been an increase in people seeking international protection in Ireland and in other EU nations over recent years.
No country can return people while they wait for decisions on their applications. This is a long established part of Irish and international law. While here, people must be provided with basic supports: somewhere to stay, education for children and the right to work after 6 months. People are also entitled to an allowance of €38.80 per week for an adult and €29.80 per week for a child.
People live in a range of centres including repurposed office blocks, tented facilities, warehouses and former hotels. People are free to move in and out of all centres but must inform management of any overnight absences. This is to ensure that maximum use of all beds is used.
All people applying for international protection in Ireland are fingerprinted by the authorities, with the data stored on Eurodac. This is an EU-wide biometric database containing fingerprints of applicants and EU / European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. If the authorities find that people who have been fingerprinted are linked to any serious crimes, they may be refused protection and returned.
As of May 2024, it can take around 18 months for applications to be processed. This consists of one application to the International Protection Office (IPO) and, if unsuccessful, one appeal to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT). In total, 98% of applicants have been in the system less than two years and 70% less than one year.
If a person’s application is successful they can live in Ireland. If a person is refused refugee status they can choose to return home voluntarily or be deported. While the International Protection Office assesses the case of international protection applicants, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth provides them with accommodation, shelter and a basic allowance.
There is currently a significant shortage of accommodation for people seeking international protection. We have set up over 230 accommodation centres across every county in Ireland. The delivery of this accommodation is being prioritised so that we can meet our legal and humanitarian obligations to provide shelter and support for vulnerable men, women and children who are seeking international protection.