THE GOVERNMENT SIGNED off on plans to buy Dublin’s Citywest Hotel to use for international protection accommodation. 

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan announced today that he secured Cabinet approval for the State purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre at a cost of €148 million. 

The minister said today that the move is part of a long-term strategy to develop a sustainable accommodation system which should deliver savings for the State. 

The purchase of the property will also ensure the government meets its obligations under the new EU Pact on migration. 

The site which is already being used for both international protection and Ukraine accommodation, currently has capacity to accommodate approximately 2,300 people between the hotel and the Convention Centre.

The hotel has 764 bedrooms and 12 meeting rooms and in the past has been used as a large multi-purpose convention centre. 

The State is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people in over 320 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country including 9,500 children with their families.

Since 2020, the Citywest site has been used by the State, first as part of the Covid-19 response and subsequently since 2022 as a transit hub and accommodation centre for Ukrainian citizens and people seeking international protection.

The minister said there have been “extremely high costs in recent times” regarding accommodation, stating that purchasing Citywest makes prudent financial sense for the State compared to costs of leasing the site.

“The purchase represents a payback period to the State of approximately four years, and over 25 years, the purchase and operating cost model offer savings of more than €1 billion, while delivering a permanent State asset,” he said. 

The minister said he is committed to reforming Ireland’s international protection system to ensure its efficiency and robustness.

“My goal is to improve processing systems so that people can receive a decision quickly and fairly, curtailing the need for constant growth in our accommodation system,” he added.

There are no immediate plans to increase capacity at the site as part of the purchase, with the minister clarifying today that his department is also in ongoing discussions to ensure the leisure centre on the site remains open to the public following the purchase.

The leisure centre has approximately 3,000 members and is a valuable amenity for the local community.