Local Fianna Fáil Senator, Erin McGreehan, has said she is disappointed after meeting with the Minister for Integration, Roderic O’Gorman, about the use of the D Hotel in Drogheda for people seeking international protection.
Senator McGreehan met with the Minister after speaking to him during a debate in the Seanad earlier today. Senator McGreehan also met with the Tánaiste on the decision.
Senator McGreehan said: “The D Hotel is a central economic hub of the town of Drogheda and is a focus of a lot of the activity, tourism, and events that happen in the town. This is not just about the bed nights. It is about the further impact on the town that comes with closing the hotel in its entirety.
“I met with the Minister as I wanted to know whether his Department has done an economic analysis on the impact of closing down what is the only large hotel in the centre of Drogheda. The other two hotels in the town are much smaller. The hotels closure will decimate small local cafes and bistros. In March, the comedy festival, which Louth County Council and Fáilte Ireland invest in significantly, will begin. Where will attendees to the festival stay in Drogheda?
“It is very welcome that Government has invested a lot of resources into Drogheda throughout previous troubled times. It has come out of these troubled times and has begun to thrive.
“In the town, there is a sense of disappointment as well as uncertainty. Just earlier this week 57 jobs were lost due to the closure of Marks & Spencer. The Minister must be aware that there are already significant job losses in Drogheda which would be compounded with the closure of the hotel.
“It was upsetting to get correspondence on the decision regarding the hotel as a fait accompli, rather than a consultation or information. I am asking the Minister for an economic analysis on what the impact of this decision will be on local businesses and what supports can be put in place to help the local economy. The Department should engage with shop, bistro and café owners on how the closing of the hotel will impact ancillary businesses.
“During the meetings, I highlighted to both the Minister and the Tánaiste that what the Department are currently doing is not working. It is my view that we cannot be risking the progress made on the local economy and that Departments need to work collaboratively on this topic.
“As it stands, the current approach is not working for local communities, or for local businesses. Drogheda as a place is so fantastic and welcoming that it is a sad day that this decision has been made. As far as I can see, there has been no economic impact assessment. It is just a case of the decision being made and the resulting economic effects on the town not being accounted for due to the Department taking control of it all. It is hugely disappointing.”
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