Vol. 545 No. 5
122 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Finance the cost of renovating Havisham House, Rochestown Road, Cork, for housing asylum seekers and refugees; the cost of leasing and providing security for the premises; the cost of ongoing commitments in relation to the leasing of the premises; the number of asylum seekers and refugees who used the hotel; and the numbers who are in the hotel. [31034/01]
The Commissioners of Public Works act as agent on behalf of the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in sourcing suitable accommodation for asylum seekers.
As part of a nationwide search for asylum seeker accommodation, negotiations on behalf of the agency took place through 2000 with the proprietors of Havisham House. In the light of developing accommodation requirements of the agency, negotiations were discontinued toward the end of 2000 in relation to the property. No asylum seekers were accommodated in this property.
Some £42,000 was expended on the property in respect of the preparatory works. This outlay was recouped in full to the State. As the Office of Public Works was engaged in preparatory works on the property and it was the intention to utilise the property for the accommodation of asylum seekers, it was deemed necessary to provide security for the premises and this amounted to approximately £58,000.
