Concerns raised over firm chosen to run asylum seeker centre in Tipperary

Local councillor Liam Browne said 'the company has no history'

The property will be operated by Utmasta Limited which has a 20-year lease on the site of the Dundrum House Hotel Tipperary, and there will be at least two members of staff on-site 24 hours a day. File picture

Concerns have been raised over a government contract awarded to a newly set up company in Spain with “no history of previous records” for an IPAS centre in Co Tipperary.

In a briefing note sent to community representatives on Tuesday the Department of Integration said: “277 beds will be provided for people seeking refuge in Ireland who are international protection applicants in Dundrum House Hotel, Dundrum, Co Tipperary."

The property will be operated by Utmasta Limited which has a 20-year lease on the site, the memo explained, and there will be at least two members of staff on-site 24 hours a day. The contract is for two years, and local councillor Liam Browne believes it could be worth between €16m and €20m.

Mr Browne told the Irish Examiner he has received concerns from his community who researched the company’s past and discovered it has no known history of running a similar centre.

“The idea that a government contract can be given to a company three months old, this is the sort of thing that went on for masks and ventilators during covid,” he said adding the community is disappointed and angry over the decision.

“Who is Utmasta Limited? Photos of the company show an apartment in Spain fronted by a Spanish woman that nobody has ever heard of, and the company has no history."

Councillors from across west Tipperary recently called for a halt to the contract at Dundrum House over two cases before the High Court regarding a dispute between US investors and the operator of the hotel, and another over planning issues.

The Companies Registration Office (CRO) shows that the sole Director of Utmasta is Ana Maria Ferandez Sanchez. However there are no details describing who owns the company. Ms Ferandez is also listed as a director of another company, Skeaghcoln Limited. Both companies were set up on the same day according to records online but have no ownership details.

Mr Browne said: “Serious questions need to be asked. Does the Government even know who the beneficial owners of Utmasta are? Are they fit persons to receive Government monies?"

Records show almost €11m was paid to Brogan Capital Ventures since Q3 2022. Brogan Ventures is owned by Steelworks Ltd, the company that claims it owns Dundrum House and which leased the property to Utmasta in January.

Managing director at Steelworks Investments Limited is US businessman Jeff Leo, a former Morgan Stanley broker disbarred by the US financial regulatory authority in 2010.

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In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Integration said: “The State is currently accommodating over 33,000 people in over 320 international protection accommodation centres around the country.

“The department carries out due diligence on accommodation being contracted including checks via the Companies Registration Office to ensure compliance with Companies Registration Office (CRO) requirements and tax compliance checks by way of a valid Tax Clearance Certificate."

Jeff Leo and Utmasta have been contacted for comment.