Ryevale House In Leixlip, Housing International Protection Applicants, Found To Be Operating In Defiance of Planning Laws

That's according to the Mail on Sunday and Extra.ie

An Bord Pleanála has found that Ryevale House in Leixlip, being used to house asylum seekers, is operating in defiance of planning laws.

The ruling made by the national planning authority has come after the Irish Mail on Sunday previously revealed the facility housed international protection applicants for a year without a fire certificate.

The owners of the protected structure were also served with an enforcement notice from Kildare County Council (KCC) over the unauthorised change of use and building works on the property.

It's understood that, despite this, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth - who source accommodation for refugees and asylum seekers in the country - has paid its owners around €3.8m.

An Bord Pleanála has ruled the controversial works carried out on the protected structure are in breach of planning laws.

In its decision, according to Extra.ie, An Bord Pleanála's review of KCC's decision has noted that the works in the house and its adjoining coachouse had 'altered the character of the structures in terms of design and layout internally, and have been carried out to facilitate a change of use which has previously been determined to not [constitute an] exempted development'.

The review concluded An Bord Pleanála 'hereby decides that the certain associated internal works to the dwelling house and coach house is development and is [therefore] not exempted development'.

The ruling has thrown the living arrangements of asylum seekers currently staying at Ryevale House into doubt.

Asked by the Mail on Sunday if it will continue its contract with Ryevale House in light of An Bord Pleanála's ruling, the Department of Integration said: 'Any issues notified to us in respect of regulatory matters will be complied with. However, these are matters that are first required to be resolved between the owners of the property and the relevant regulatory body.'

Prompted for further clarification in the context of Kildare County Council's enforcement notice on Ryevale, a spokesman from the department said: 'Matters related to planning are between the local authority and the accommodation service provider.

'The department will comply with any regulatory issues that are notified to us, either by the local authority or the accommodation service provider.'

Asked what action it has taken, and plans to take, in relation to Ryevale House, Kildare County Council said it is 'currently in the process of reviewing the recent decisions from An Bord Pleanála in relation to Ryevale House and has no further comment at this time'.

The owners of Ryevale House, contacted by the Mail on Sunday via the company's secretary, did not respond to a request for comment.