The Grand Hotel in Wicklow will become a direct provision centre in the near future, according to the Department of Justice.
These centres provide accommodation services for asylum seekers on a temporary basis.
Locals are said to be “very concerned” over the proposed centre with one social media telling The Liberal:
“Locals have held meetings about it and have both privately and publicly stated that they’re very concerned about the new centre. There will be uproar if this goes through”.
About 100 people will be housed at the Grand Hotel, one of the busiest hospitality premises in the area. Once asylum seekers are accommodated there, the premises will cease to act as a hotel.