Over €3.1M paid to Cavan hotels for refugees
Over €3.1 million in tax-free payments have been awarded to 12 accommodation providers in Cavan who housed Ukrainians over a six-month period, between April and September of this year.
A total of €3,169,705 was split between the hotels and B&Bs across the county under the Accommodation Recognition Payment scheme. These are tax-free payments of €400 per month per refugee to provide accommodation to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. It amounts to an average payment of over €264,000 per property with payments set to double from December 1.
Two properties were paid more than half a million euro each. The Bridge Guesthouse in Cavan Town, owned by Rossblue Limited, received the largest sum of money at €591,090, followed by the Lakeside Manor Hotel in Virginia, which received €570,960.
The Seven Horseshoes Hotel in Belturbet, owned by Dooncrellan Limited, received a total of €292,800.
PAYMENTS TO CAVAN PROVIDERS
The Bridge Guesthouse, Cavan Town: €591,090
The Lakeside Manor Hotel, Virginia: €570,960
Seven Horseshoes Hotel, Belturbet: €292,800
Glan B&B, Kilcogy: €240,240
Cavan Crystal Hotel: €238,875
The Hatch B&B, Ballinagh: €227,500
The Farnham Arms, Cavan Town: €209,100
Killinkere Rectory Hostel: €197,640
Trivia House Hostel, Swanlinbar: €179,340
McCaul’s B&B, Cavan Town: €141,825
The Keepers Arms, Bawnboy: €141,825
Golden Mile Retreats, Mullagh: €138,510
Total - €3,169,705
Cavan claimed a large chunk of funding compared to neighbouring rural counties. Monaghan providers, for example, received €1.5M. Meath, with a much larger population, accounted for just over €5M.
The total value of the contracts awarded nationally is over €89M, details of which were first published last week.
As part of Ireland's Ukrainian relief effort, the State devised the scheme to make deals with many hotels, B&Bs, guest houses and holiday homes across the country to house refugees.
It was also announced that the Accommodation Recognition Payment would be doubled, meaning from December 1, businesses or private homes housing Ukrainians will receive €800 per month per refugee.
These figures come as Minister Roderic O’Gorman has requested 50 additional members of staff to help deal with the Ukrainian refugee crisis. The total number of Ukrainian refugees in Ireland is expected to top 70,000 by the end of the year.
Speaking in Dublin recently, the Children’s Minister said: “We’ve had to create an entire new division, 100 originally from my department and 50 secondees. And we will need to continue to grow that. In terms of the revised estimates process, I have sought additional person power. There was an issue (in paying some hotels) and we have moved our resources in there and we would hope to have that backlog cleared in the next two weeks.”
Meanwhile, groundwork on the planned modular accommodation for Ukrainian refugees on the outskirts of Cavan Town is continuing.
The proposed plan includes 30 modular homes on the Farnham Road site to be delivered at an estimated cost of €100 million. The fast track properties are expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year.
More than 100 refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine will be accommodated at the site once construction finishes.
The Department has been asked about other properties across the county understood to be housing refugees over the period, who were not included in the breakdown.
It has not yet responded.