The published notice provides details of 91 contracts entered into with accommodation providers in counties including Donegal, Monaghan, Westmeath, Offaly, Wicklow, Limerick, Clare, Laois, Cork, Roscommon, Dublin, Mayo, Louth, Cavan, Leitrim, Wexford, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford.Clonford Property at Lough Currane, Co Kerry, has entered a contract with the department with a potential value of €2.
Separate contract details show that Manor Capital Investments Ltd of Breakers Hostel, Co Kerry has entered a contract valued at €315,880 while Agha Dev Bond Street of Abode Guesthouse, Co Kerry has entered a contact with a value of €485,228. A note attached to the contracts award notice states that, given the large number of refugees seeking accommodation and the urgency involved, the Department was not in a position to procure the necessary contracts by advertising openly and could rely on an exception under a EU directive to negotiate directly without prior publication to put in place a number of short service contracts.Meanwhile, fresh doubt has been cast over andue to difficulties accessing suitable sites.
A presentation by the Office of Public Works prepared for a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Housing confirmed that 204 modular homes on five sites will begin to be handed over for occupation from next month. It also indicated that a further 106 homes on two sites in Tullamore, Co Offaly and Rathdowney, Co Laois will be completed from August 2023.
However, the OPW has no up-to-date information on the expected completion dates of the remaining 370 quick-build homes promised by the Government to accommodate as many as 2,800 refugees.