Historic Waterford hotel to be used as direct provision centre
Lismore House Hotel will open as a direct provision centre in early February.
One of the country's oldest hotels, located in the Waterford heritage town of Lismore, is to be turned into a direct provision centre.
Lismore House, which was built in 1797, closed as a hotel in 2016, and was bought by MCHT, a Cork-based company, in 2021.
It had been hoped locally the premises would reopen as a hotel but an application was put on hold.
The property is close to Lismore Castle, the Irish home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and their family, which hosted King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla when they visited the area.
Tallow-based Labour councillor John Pratt said the plan now is for the premises to open in early February as a direct provision centre.
”Women and families is what we were told is going to be the make-up of the people [who] are coming and that there will be 12 staff employed," Mr Pratt said.
"Starting with 60 [people] coming, and my understanding is with the possibility of that going up to either 107 or 112," he told WLRFM.
Several local councillors met with Superintendent Michael Lacey of Dungarvan Garda Station on Friday, who made them aware of the plans.
“I think that Lismore will be welcoming" Mr Pratt said, but he added it was disappointing the "hotel is not going to be in use for the foreseeable future, for however long that is".
“Because, with Lismore being a heritage town — even for the greater West Waterford area, west of Dungarvan — it would have been good to see it reopening and for anything really or even just something that might be on in any of the small local towns. It would have provided accommodation.”
News of the hotel being turned into a direct provision centre resulted in several protesters gathering outside the premises with "anti-refugee" signs, but another group also gathered to welcome the opening of premises.
Cllr Pratt said “some people are nervous. There is a nervousness around because it's a change, it's a big number, it's in the centre of the town. Even though more than likely there will be no issues.”
The building's owners have been contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, Waterford City and County Council has granted planning for a 16-bedroom boutique hotel close to Dungarvan town centre.
Permission was given to Bowe White & Nugent Ltd some six months after an initial application was rejected over being at odds with the architectural style and character of its surroundings.
The building, at 12 Parnell Street (also known as Main Street), is a protected structure dating from about 1830.
Currently a florist's, it retains its original form and was built as one of a pair, with the adjoining building also listed.
The development will see a change of use from commercial/residential to hotel and the building reconfigured to accommodate three bedrooms over the first, second and third floors, with a reception area at ground floor level.
A two-storey and a single-storey building to the rear of the premises will be demolished to make way for a stepped extension, containing 13 bedrooms and with ancillary services.
The plans also include the refurbishment of the existing shop front and new service and pedestrian access via an existing laneway to the spacious Scanlon's yard car park at the rear of the building.
The planning is the second such development green-lighted for Dungaravan in recent times.
Last December, Waterford City and County Council granted planning to developer Michael Ryan for a 40-bed hotel and car park at the junction of Davitt’s Quay and Richard A Walsh Street, at the further reach of Dungarvan, close to the N25.
The new hotels will ease pressure on the town’s two main hotels, which have a combined bed capacity for about 200 guests.
Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber chairperson Jenny Beresford said “any development that increases bed flow enhances Dungarvan’s status as a family-friendly tourist destination and is very welcome”.
