Rosslare Councillor Demands Inquiry into Danby Lodge Exemption for Asylum Accommodation

A Rosslare councillor has raised serious concerns over Wexford County Council’s decision to allow the former Danby Lodge Hotel in Killinick to be repurposed as emergency accommodation for asylum seekers via an exempted development.

An application was submitted  to convert the vacant Danby Hotel—previously used to house Ukrainian refugees—into a 29-bedroom temporary accommodation centre under the Exempted Development rules in the Planning & Development Act This classification means the project can proceed without full planning permission, as per the recently amended Class 20F exemption, which covers the temporary use of structures like hotels for international protection purposes wexfordcoc Speaking on Morning Mix, Cllr. Ger Carthy, Chair of the Rosslare Municipal District, says he was assured earlier in March that no exemptions would be granted unless a formal contract was in place—but no such contract exists for Danby Lodge. “We can’t have officials speaking out of both sides of their mouth,” Carthy said, expressing outrage at what he called a misleading process. He highlighted that the location lacks essential infrastructure—no footpaths, street lighting, or community amenities—and poses road safety risks, citing a busy, poorly served stretch of road as part of the concern Further, he argued that repurposing local, often last operating hotels without proper planning or consultation undermines the community. He stressed: “It was used for temporary accommodation in the Ukrainian crisis—now this. We cannot allow vacant premises to be converted without proper processes or support for the community.”