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THE CHURCH OF Scientology is expected to open a European base in south Dublin after spending money to refurbish a state-of-the-art community centre in Firhouse.
TheJournal.ie has learned that the movement is investing here by buying fittings for the Victory Centre – a large community centre and church which was at one time owned by the Victory Christian Fellowship.
A document seen by this publication shows that the Church of Scientology in the United States has paid for equipment to be sent to the Church of Scientology International (CSI) – crucially its address is listed as being on the Firhouse Road, Dublin 24. The full address reads:
CSI Ireland Community Center, Firhouse Road, Tymon South, Dublin 24.
The company they have used to ship the supplies list the following achievements on their website: “Since inception, HPC has purchased over $150 million of furniture, fixtures and equipment for projects ranging from the 5-star Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort and Spa in Hamilton, Bermuda to developing a comprehensive program for the Church of Scientology’s 155 buildings on 6 continents.”
Local Fine Gael councillor Brian Lawlor told TheJournal.ie that he has heard from a number of sources that the centre is to open. Currently, the only Church of Scientology International centre is located in Los Angeles and is described by the movement as the worldwide HQ and “the mother church of the Scientology religion”.According to the movement’s website:
Church of Scientology International (CSI), the mother church of the Scientology religion, is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. CSI oversees the ecclesiastical activities of all Scientology Churches, organizations and groups the world over and ensures that individual Churches receive guidance in their ministries. CSI also provides the broad planning and direction needed to support the Church’s international growth.
Sources have stressed that this does not mean that Scientology’s worldwide headquarters are being moved from LA to Firhouse. However, they did say that the group could use it as a European base. Last year, the centre sold for around €6 million, €12 million less than what it was valued at seven years ago. It also has a number of large meeting rooms and a designated place of worship which can hold over 1,200 people.
The church’s registered company here, which does not have religious or charitable status, recorded a profit of €48,803 in Ireland last year. The land in Firhouse is zoned by the council to be used as a place of worship. This means the Church of Scientology would not have to register any other interest with the council before building commenced on the site last year.
The land has not to be registered with the authorities and attempts to obtain information regarding the deeds proved unsuccessful. This week, we observed building work continuing on the site. Asked if they could comment on the new owners of the site, the builders said they could not. Sources have told this publication that the centre has the ability to host over 1,200 people for seminars and other church business.
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The Church of Scientology in Ireland currently operates out of two small hubs, both based in Dublin city centre. Last year, it set up a new National Affairs Office on Merrion Square in Dublin. According to its website, the office was established to “assist in meeting both physical and spiritual needs, and in addressing social ills from drugs to poverty to homelessness”.
Speaking at the opening of the centre, current leader of the Church, David Miscavige, said: “By opening the doors of the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office for Ireland, we are continuing in the tradition of our Founder L Ron Hubbard who himself held an office at 69 Merrion Square.
“And we do so with the intent to offer our humanitarian initiatives to all in honour of our founder and the aims of Scientology — a civilisation without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights.”
The group has been contacted by TheJournal.ie for comment but none has been provided. Councillor Brian Lawlor met with us outside the centre this week and said that he had made representations to the council over the site.
He told TheJournal.ie: “I know for definite that the Scientologists are coming into Firhouse. It’s very disappointing. Not because of who is moving in but it’s a missed opportunity for the community. It’s a remarkable site and it could have easily been transformed into a school. There is a large demand for a new school in this area. We made a number of representations to the Department of Education about this but were knocked back.
“Now the Church of Scientology has it. I have to say it’s a bad move not to have taken advantage of the site. This is very short-sighted.”
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Hall in the transport minister while you’re at it !!! he’s probably expecting the impossible and pushing them to make a great transport system out of what we’ve got without proper investment
What was the actual point in changing the timetable of the Rosslare Connolly by 3 minutes? It hasn’t solved the overcrowding in the morning. . It has no perceivable benefit.
@helen mary fitzsimons: presumably the intention was to sync with timetable changes for other services
@Pewpew Tin: oh look, Buster and his mates have another account. My ma sadly passed away a long time ago. Take your trolling elsewhere
@Kevin Kerr: Yeah we know Brendan. Hence the Ouija board jokes. Do you understand them now?
@Vince Cable: at least he knew his ma
Eammo is getting it sorted no need to panic.
“congestion”… a similar theme on the roads really, plenty of people looking to kick the society on, boost the economy, be sustainable, etc. Unfortunately there’s zero provision for it, politicians are incapable of doing their jobs, where’s the transport minister through all our infrastructure problems? he’s literally doing nothing (as is the path, the previous ones were as bad if not worse).
Extend a few out to Dunlaoghaire – don’t they have an extra platform out there to lay over for short period
Bring the NTA before the Committee.
Kevin Kerr has a poster of the Menendez Brothers on his bedroom wall.
I commuted to Dublin from Dundalk in the 1980’s. The train was always full to capacity with many passengers left standing. Back then were promised an improved service with extra trains but it seems nothing has changed.
Will they be there on time?
The NTA need to be brought before the Committee.
Punctuality of trains & DART from the northside is still a sh**show, I have been delayed every day this week and last despite tying different times & options.
The ‘fixes’ applied two weeks back by Irish Rail have simply not worked – it’s time to scrap the new schedule and start again.
Just reading the case about the theft of the journalist’s phone & am glad to see that the alleged thug/thief is not out on bail. Could that pointless “judge” martin be gone the way of that other waste of time, o’donnell, in Limerick? Too good to be true?
@Patrice Ahern: Amazing how fast his name and address were published.
@087 bed: .
@087 bed: not really – the incident happened last April, and he is before the courts
@Patrice Ahern: Did you see the video they posted of him going through the phone? He won’t be getting out. And the journalist most likley lost his wife lol
@087 bed: You must be very slow if you think 5 months is fast (almost 6).
@Alex: Thanks for letting us know that 5 is close to 6.
@Vince Cable: You auto like your stup!d!ty it seems. It’s ok to be braindead, but you can do it elsewhere. If I recall correctly, your friend who stole the phone has trouble to count since he use is welfare money on alcohol and cigarettes and complains he has nothing left after 2 days.
@Alex: My friend? What?
@Alex: I think you are a bit confused love xx
Nothing functions in Ireland, Iarnroid Eireann & NTA have been a disaster, big salaries but delivering an absolute shit show. No accountability in Ireland at any level.
@SV3tN8M4: Irish Rail have done great work but the NTA and the minister push them to move too quickly on projects
The changes needed to be gradually brought in
Not all at once to crash the new system. As real time testing is the only kind that works.
I caught the train from Dundalk to Connolly station last Friday, which was supposed to go at 12:10 o’clock. It finally arrived at 12:50, forty minutes late, and even getting to Dublin took longer than usual.
They moved the schedule by 2-5 min here and there and now trains are 30-40 min late all the time, it also takes much longer to arrive to the destination because the train stands and waits on tracks every now and then
Waste of time! This will probably take additional time too
@uXGdMXx5: Whoa whoa whoa whoa. Get out of here now.
I blame Sinn Fein
At least Dublin and the east has a rail service. We in the west are grateful for an intermittent service that ends at 9pm and with crowded trains on the limerick Galway service where passengers resort to sitting in the aisle of the coaches. Donegal doesn’t even have a rail service but might eventually get one …. Via Derry / Translink.
Trains in Ireland are shambolic. Turn them all into cycle lanes or something more useful. Every time I take the Slug (sorry Dart) it reminds me that next time I should use a car
@Derick R M: thats the same mentality that got us into this mess .
You can feck right of with your green ways .
Time to start laying tracks round the country,public transport should cater for all not just a few round the capital
I guess those coming from the “posh” new Grand Central Station in Belfast are happy…..Lets accomodate that and impact all Northside commuters lifes instead!
A tough crew
They need to look at the 45a service, it’s a joke
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