TD claims d Hotel fire certificate only allows for 240 residents

Addressing Tánaiste Micheál Martin in the Dáil this week Deputy Fergus O’Dowd has voiced his frustration at the decision to convert the d Hotel into a centre for international protection applicants, closing the town’s last remaining hotel.

“People like me have been completely and utterly blind-sided by this decision,” he stated.

“Drogheda people are extremely angry and dismayed by the decision of the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, to remove the only remaining hotel of scale in Drogheda, the d Hotel, from public use. The Government has acknowledged that this will not happen in any other town but that means nothing to the people of Drogheda.”

“We continue to be dismayed at the lack of an appropriate and proper impact assessment and appropriate support packages for businesses, communities, tourism and, frankly, for families.

“If this Government intends to restore a measure of confidence in what this Administration, which I have supported, is doing in Drogheda, it has a hell of a lot more to do.”

The Drogheda Deputy added that “I am now aware that the original contract as itemised by the Minister for 500 beds could not have been signed at that time because up to close of business yesterday, the fire safety certificate only allows 240 people to reside there.”

He asked, “Are we paying for 500 beds when we can only fill 240? Who is making the profit or the difference?

The Tánaiste was right about the women and children and the fear and trouble they have in other countries. Drogheda welcomes them all the time and will continue to do so, but they cannot be walking the streets of Drogheda with plastic bags in the rain and no centre to go to.”

“People who live in the town cannot get their families to stay in the only hotel that was there.”

“I represent their anger. I want the Tánaiste to do something about it.

Responding An Tánaiste stated, “The most effective way to do anything about this is to try to implement, as quickly as we can, the policy position adopted recently by the Government in respect of direct construction of State-owned centres in parallel with the private sector.”

“The problem, as we just discussed with respect to the EU asylum pact, is that there are unprecedented levels of migration across Europe and the world.

“Many political parties in many countries have risen on the strength of it. We saw what happened in the UK where Brexit became a consequence of migration. It changed the whole politics of the country with devastating results, I would argue, in terms of the economy and so on. It is not simple.”

Deputy Fergus O’Dowd replied “It is not simple. What will you do in Drogheda?”

An Tánaiste responded, “The idea of the only hotel being used is something the Government acknowledges we do not want to do.”

“But you have done that, stated Deputy O’Dowd, before adding, “That is not good enough at all.”