Workers were seen at St Mary’s Home, a former nursing home in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, preparing the building for its reopening as a 220-bed emergency accommodation centre for asylum seekers, reports The Irish Times.
The property was accessed through a locked black gate that obscured the view from the street, Pembroke Park.
On Wednesday, the Department of Integration confirmed that the building will be used to house families seeking international protection for at least the next year.
Pembroke Park, like other residential streets in Ballsbridge, is characterized by grand, redbrick houses with tasteful driveways. Large trees loom over luxury vehicles parked along the sidewalk, reports The Irish Times.
On Thursday, passersby exercised or walked their dogs on the street, moving towards nearby Herbert Park. While many agreed that providing accommodation for those seeking refuge was necessary, local concerns about the new centre were also apparent.
Declan Moylan, who lives close to Pembroke Park, was standing near the entrance of the asylum seeker centre.
He said he had no difficulty with the new centre, reports The Irish Times.
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