Residents were informed they would be relocated earlier this week
Residents of the Eyre Powell Hotel in Newbridge have been informed they will soon be relocated, as the facility will no longer accommodate applicants under the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).
A letter issued by the Department of Integration this week to the residents, states that alternative accommodation arrangements will be made, with individual transfer letters detailing specific locations and move dates to be sent out.
Kfm has learned that issues around fire safety is the reason this decision was made.
The Department was recently made aware of a fire safety notice issued by Kildare County Fire Services to the provider of the Eyre Powell.
This notice essentially means the building may potentially be unsafe at the current capacity and that remedial works are needed to resolve this, therefore, the approved capacity at the Centre needs to be reduced and a timeline for the remedial works is to be established.
It's hoped families with children in local schools will not be moved to alternative accommodation.
Reacting to the news, the Newbridge For All group told Kfm that it "wants IPAS to consider the individual needs of families to mitigate the harm and we call on all those with influence to mobilise and stand with our community."
"There are no circumstances in which this chaotic way of managing people is acceptable. This Centre is in operation for over 20 years and is part of the town of Newbridge."
Thursday morning's Kildare Today programme will cover the issue in more detail between 9 and 11am.
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