Government agrees 'in principle' to purchase disused Roscrea hotel for community use
Locals had cited the loss of Racket Hall, Roscrea's only hotel, as a reason for recent protests. The new plan would see the State purchase the former Grant’s Hotel in Roscrea town centre to cater for the community. Picture: Brendan Gleeson
The Government has agreed "in principle" to purchase a disused hotel in Roscrea after clashes followed the change of use of the Racket Hall hotel to asylum seeker accommodation.
Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary Jackie Cahill said that he received assurances that the hotel would be purchased to cater for the community after locals cited the loss of the town's only hotel as a reason for a protest at Racket Hall.
The protest has lasted nearly a week and saw a man arrested after clashes with gardaí on Monday.
The plan would see the State purchase the 24-bedroom former Grant’s Hotel in Roscrea town centre, which has been out of business since 2013.
Mr Cahill told the that the plan was based on the Sliabh Beagh Hotel in Monaghan, the country's only community-owned and managed hotel.
He said that he had received assurances following a meeting with Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman.
"It is an innovative solution and while it won't solve all the problems there, it will return a hotel to the town and it will be right there in the centre of town."
Mr Cahill said that the purchase was "a recognition that Roscrea has been asked to shoulder a lot" in terms of housing asylum seekers. The town has around 80% of all of the county's refugee intake, protesters have said.
Mr Cahill said that funding would be examined, but a Government source said that any purchase will not happen imminently.
