Hearing of High Court case on Athlone asylum seeker centre set for April
The legal challenge taken by four Athlone councillors against the State's development of a new accommodation centre for 1,000 male asylum seekers in Lissywollen is expected to be heard in full at the High Court next month.
The case was listed for mention at the High Court on Monday of this week, and afterwards the four Athlone councillors involved - Paul Hogan, Frankie Keena, Aengus O'Rourke and John Dolan - said Judge Richard Humphreys had fixed April 28 as the date for the full hearing of the case.
In a joint statement issued on Monday evening, the local representatives expressed their appreciation to the court for "having the case heard in such an urgent manner".
The legal proceedings were initially announced last November, when the local councillors stated that they would be seeking to bring a judicial review of the Section 181 order issued by the then-Minister Roderic O'Gorman in order to commence work on the development in Lissywollen last October.
In December, the State indicated it was conceding the legal challenge, which was being brought on environmental grounds, and the court was told that the Lissywollen development would be regarded as unauthorised.
However, a final decision on the future of the site is still being awaited, pending a full hearing of the legal proceedings.
Some 180 residents moved into the temporary accommodation centre in December, but Judge Richard Humphreys granted a request that no further works on site could take place, aside from "urgent" maintenance.
The joint statement released by councillors Keena, O'Rourke, Dolan and Hogan this week welcomed the April 28 hearing date and said: "We are working hard and hopeful that this hearing will draw a line under the Department of Integration's plans to house up to 1,000 single adult males on this site.
"In December last, the State conceded that this site in Lissywollen was an unauthorised development. Since then, the State has committed that no further construction will occur on site, save for routine maintenance, and that no new resident will take up residency on site.
"In recent weeks, we have submitted expert planning advice which identifies and illuminates the substantial planning and environmental concerns that we have consistently raised in relation to this unauthorised development.
"The State defaulted on submitting paperwork on a number of occasions and is seeking a stay on any order of the court. It is completely illogical for the State to seek a stay on what they have already conceded is an unauthorised development.
"The plan for this site is irrational, illogical and a breach of fair procedures. There remain significant environmental and planning issues pertaining to national and international law, which require urgent attention and conclusion," the Athlone councillors added.
"We are seeking a full withdrawal, dismantling and a reinstatement of the site. We welcome the hearing date scheduled for April 28, and we look forward to having our significant environmental and planning issues addressed at the full hearing."