Calls for former Ballagh hotel to be returned to tourist use

The emergency reception and orientation centre (EROC) in Ballaghaderreen should now be returned to its original use as a hotel, according to a local councillor.

The former Abbeyfield Hotel on the Sligo Road has been in operation as a refugee centre since 2017.

Next Week and Co Ltd was recently refused planning permission by Roscommon County Council for the construction of a two storey extension to the EROC to provide additional accommodation at the centre. According to the planning documents, the new accommodation would have comprised 18 new bedrooms to cater for another 120 refugees in addition to the 192 people already there.

An appeal against this decision may be made to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of the decision date.

The refusal of the proposed expansion was welcomed by local Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane who described it “as the right decision”.

“I want to thank all those who spent their Saturday coming into my office to sign submissions I had prepared to object to this extension,” she said. “I delivered a large number of submissions to the council, and I am glad these were heard.” Independent councillor Micheál Frain, who also campaigned against the proposal, also welcomed the news.

“My point all along was there wasn’t the social infrastructure or the physical infrastructure for it,” he said. “Hopefully, this decision can now close a door on this issue. It is almost nine years since the EROC was opened, and that model is now gone.” He stressed that the town of Ballaghaderreen stood up and welcomed people fleeing the Syrian Civil War and other conflicts, but now believed that the EROC should be returned to hotel accommodation.

“We are carrying out feasibility studies and research for the town and the one thing that is constantly coming up is the lack of bed nights in Ballaghaderreen, and indeed in the region,” Cllr Frain continued. 

“The fastest growing airport in Europe, Knock, is just over the road. The people travelling there might want to stay overnight here beforehand. I am hoping that the centre in the not too distant future will revert to a hotel for the area. Durkin’s is at full capacity at the moment, the businesses are doing very well in Ballaghaderreen at the moment. And we need to keep on that upward trajectory.”