The decision follows a protracted planning controversy surrounding the protected structure, which Kildare County Council previously ruled was operating as an unauthorised development.
The State’s contract to house International Protection applicants at Ryevale House in Leixlip will end on April 30th and will not be renewed.
The decision follows a protracted planning controversy surrounding the protected structure, which Kildare County Council previously ruled was operating as an unauthorised development.
Kildare North Fine Gael TD Joe Neville said the contract “should never have been awarded in the first place”, arguing that both the change of use and building works carried out at the property were found to be unauthorised.
The council’s ruling was referred to An Bord Pleanála, which upheld the decision.
The board found that internal works had altered the character and layout of the protected structure to facilitate a change of use that had already been determined not to qualify as exempted development.
Deputy Neville also revealed that he raised concerns at the Public Accounts Committee last October, stating that the property did not have running water connected when the IPAS contract was first awarded in 2023.
He said the Department of Justice’s decision to end the arrangement now reflects the findings of both the local authority and the national planning appeals body.
"The decision made today by the Department of Justice reflects the rulings made by the local authority and serves as an example of why proper processes and procedures should be followed by all departments at all times," he said.
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