A derelict building which was badly damaged by fire was not being allocated to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.
The fire broke out at the former Augustinian building on Edmondstown Road in Ballyboden on Tuesday night and was brought under control by crews from Dublin Fire Brigade. The building, previously used as a church and college, has been derelict for years.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) said it has “received no offer of accommodation for people seeking international protection in respect of this property, and is not examining this property for use.”
Labour councillor Ciarán Ahern posted on X that a company called Shannon Homes had planned to build apartments there and it is in the planning process.
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“Far right groups are attempting to claim credit for torching this building as a means of spreading fear among migrant groups. Don’t let them,” he said. “We don’t know who did this yet, but it was likely just some local youths who’ve been setting small fires in there for weeks.”
A site note states that Shannon Homes intends to demolish the former Augustinian seminary and replace it with a residential development of 400 apartments with a creché and retail units.
Shannon Homes was contacted for comment.
Gardaí and emergency services rushed to the scene at the derelict building in Dublin 16 at about 8.20pm on Tuesday night.
The Edmondstown Road was closed to the public and local diversions were put in place.
Before midnight, Dublin Fire Brigade said: “We expect to have crews on scene through the night and have received great assistance from partner agencies as we continue to extinguish the fire”.
A turntable ladder was dispatched to act as a water tower in fighting the fire from above and officers warned of strong wind driving smoke across the Rathfarnham area.
Residents were told to close windows and doors as a precaution.
Three other fire units were also dispatched to a separate fire at a derelict building fire near Ticknock.
South Dublin County councillor Róisín Mannion told RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland that she was not aware the Ballyboden building was intended to be used as a centre for international protection applicants despite rumours on social media that that was the plan.
“That was the first I heard of this. Basically, I have no idea where this information is coming from. I can categorically say no one at council level or I haven’t heard anything about this. It’s never even been suggested utilising the site in this manner. It’s privately owned,” she said.
“It’s been idle for a number of years. There’s a number of planning applications have gone in. It’s been referred through the courts. It’s actually through judicial review at the moment. So I can’t see how it would be feasible for using it as a migrant centre.
“I don’t know how it would ever be considered for that in its current state. Like I said, there have been a number of fires and stuff in the properties already, so it just doesn’t seem like it would be in any way feasible. So as far as I’m concerned, and to the best of my knowledge, this is just complete misinformation.”
The Georgian building, which was previously used as a church and a college by the Augustinian order, was sold in 2019 to private developers. There had been a number of planning applications including one for 400 apartments to be built on the site, which was going through a judicial review at present.
“I know local residents have been in touch with the guards, with council management and with the owners of the site, around concerns for antisocial behaviour that have been ongoing. There’s been a number of fires lit there, especially over the summer. There’s graffiti, things like that.”
The site was over nine acres and included a number of buildings, a chapel, a seminary, a Georgian house and woodlands, she said.
“There’s also been videos circulating on WhatsApp from teenagers just hanging out in the vacant buildings. There has been a number of fires, is my understanding.”
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