High Court case over Athlone asylum seeker centre adjourned to late January
The High Court action brought by five Athlone councillors in an effort to stop the development of accommodation for 1,000 asylum seekers in Lissywollen has today (Thursday) been adjourned until the end of January.
Earlier this week, it emerged that the Government Department responsible for the Athlone project would not be contesting the planning issues raised on behalf of the local councillors, and that the development would now be considered "unauthorised".
The matter was again listed for mention in the court today, with councillors Paul Hogan, Frankie Keena, Aengus O'Rourke in attendance for the hearing which was told that the case would be put back until January 27.
In early December, 92 male international protection applicants moved into the newly-developed temporary accommodation, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has confirmed that accommodation is continuing to be provided to these residents at the site.
Athlone's Mayor, Cllr Frankie Keena, issued a statement on behalf of himself and his council colleagues following this morning's hearing.
"The court heard formally that the State has conceded the case, albeit on a narrow basis, without the State having yet engaged with some of, what we feel are, our even stronger grounds for judicial review," stated Cllr Keena.
"While we have been informed that the site will remain in operation until there is a final determination by the court, the State confirmed that all works on the site in Lissywollen will cease this Friday, December 20.
"Accordingly, the court has adjourned the matter until January 27 in order to tease this out in more detail," he added.
"We welcome this decision, as it now gives us a potential opportunity to have all our wider issues of concern heard in full by the High Court.
"Although the Minister’s concession is welcome, we were never fully satisfied with it as there remains substantive environmental and planning issues that deserve further consideration.
"We are ready and look forward to these matters being engaged with further on January 27," Cllr Keena concluded.
The legal action in relation to the Lissywollen development is being brought on behalf of Cllr Paul Hogan, Cllr Keena, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke, Cllr John Dolan, and now-TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran.
A GoFundMe fundraising page, to pay the costs of the local representatives' legal action has so far raised €51,550 from 988 individual donations.