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OVER TWENTY HOMELESS families being accommodated in The Bonnington Hotel – formerly the Regency Hotel – are being moved as Dublin City Council is ending its use of the hotel for “operational reasons” at the end of the month.
Private hotels and commercial providers in Dublin have been used regularly for homeless accommodation in recent years by the council.
The former Regency Hotel (which became infamous in 2016 as the site of a gangland shooting) has been used since at least 2014 for housing homeless families.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) has confirmed to TheJournal.ie that it is ceasing the use of the hotel with effect from 31 October for “operational reasons”.
There are 24 families in the hotel at present and DRHE has said two staff members are working directly with them to “arrange alternative emergency accommodation, provide housing advice and assist with other move on options”.
“We are aware that moving from emergency accommodation for some of the families may be difficult, but it is not possible for their placement in the Bonnington to continue,” DRHE said.
“We will continue to work with each individual family and try to address any concerns they may have,” it said.
Apartment plans
This development comes as An Bord Pleanála earlier this week gave the green light to 124 ‘build-to-rent’ apartments on lands over the Dublin Port Tunnel on the grounds of the former Regency Hotel.
The appeals board has granted planning permission for the five to six-storey apartment block on the Swords Road, Whitehall to Roseberry Investments Ltd in spite of opposition from local residents.
The appeals board received 33 submissions from local residents’ associations, businesses and locals.
Locals claimed the proposal will make the current traffic situation even worse. They also claimed the public health consequences, such as the impact of pandemics, have not been assessed.
The majority of councillors for the area opposed the plan and recommend its rejection as they argued it is based on a short-term build-to-rent model which is based on a transient community and is not sustainable in the long-term.
However, city council planners recommend that planning permission be granted for the proposal.
The hotel has not confirmed to TheJournal.ie whether the plans would result in the closure of the hotel or whether the new apartments were being built in space on the existing grounds.
While the hotel has not provided a response to queries from TheJournal.ie, it is still currently possible to book rooms in the hotel well into 2021.
With reporting by Gordon Deegan
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Build to rent that’s all we hear now whatever happened to rental purchase so giving people responsibility and some pride for their homes hopefully
The locals here will tell you that there is a lot of evidence that SOME people are gaming the system and behaving in ways that are evident they are most certainly not in the ‘ desperately homeless and in need ‘ situations that we come to think of when providing ‘emergency accommodation for people’ – in these politically correct times seemingly if you even comment on this theres a mob wanting to pounce – the millions and millions we are spending on hotel accomodations for SOME is NOT appropriate solution and needs to be addressed. The homeless crisis heading into winter is still a problem and the Govt need to spend more of the money building real property / solutions. The level of abusing the system is getting out of control and of people knew the full scale of how their hard earned income taxes they pay are being wasted and abused it would a national scandal.
@Dave Hammond: Do you know the process that you have to go through to declared as homeless.
People have played all systems for years and there is nothing new about that.
Look at the tax system and the people avoiding paying their due.
Met my future wife there at “Shanks disco” 45 years ago when it was called the Croft’s Airport hotel. Stayed there a few times since.
@Irish big fellow: Tried to leave her back, eh ?
@Irish big fellow: with her or another?
@Irish big fellow Where you a Lifeguard ?? The pool was the dance floor !
@Ciaran Dunne: Shanks Disco @ The Crofton Airport Hotel in the 70s…my brother met his missus there too!…and yes – the dig-out for the dance floor was the proposed hotel swimming pool…I guess the disco was a more luctative outcome than a leisure centre!
@Irish big fellow: Did you go to the fleadh cheoil that night?
Are the “operational reasons” due to an increased demand for emergency housing?
Sounds vague and suspicious!
Perhaps they need the space because they are expecting others to come in later, about 250 or so.
have your say