*What was formerly The Rowan Tree Hostel has reopened as an accommodation provider for refugees.
NEW CONTRACTS are to be offered to existing accommodation providers in Clare housing refugees.
The Clare Echo understands that an approximate 35 percent of bed nights in the county will remain unavailable to tourists if all current contracts are renewed. The existing contracts are due to expire in March.
Last August, The Clare Echo reported how seven accommodation providers in the county signed Government contracts with a cumulative estimated value of €6.36m to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in details released by the Department of Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Lisdoonvarna based firm, The Hydro Hotel Ltd which operates the Hydro Hotel entered a contract worth €1.53m with the Dept. Another hotel firm, Windward Management Ltd operating the Park Inn hotel entered a contract worth €955,000 while a third firm, Atlantic Hotel Management Ltd operating Lahinch Lodge entered a contract worth €329,400 to house Ukrainian refugees.
Figures also showed that Kilkee Town Ltd operating the Kilkee Bay Hotel entered a contract worth €1.52m while the Cliffs of Moher Hotel Ltd which operates the Cliffs of Moher hotel entered a contract worth €150,150. The Department entered contracts with two Ennis based hotel businesses for the second quarter of the year, the firm that operates the Auburn Lodge Hotel entered a contract of €1.523m while the operator of Hotel Woodstock, Tulipbay Bay entered a contract worth €354,900.
Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) in a parliamentary question to Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman (GP) asked “if he will be renewing contracts with Clare hotels for accommodating beneficiaries of temporary protection and applicants for international protection beyond April 2023 and if he will make a statement on the matter”.
Minister O’Gorman stated in response, “New contracts, with existing or additional suppliers, are commercial decisions made on the basis of scale and suitability in the context of the number of refugees and applicants for international protection that we need to accommodate and the budget available”.
He added, “Demand for accommodation is strong at present and we are offering new contracts to many existing suppliers. It is not possible however to comment on what the situation may be in relation to individual contracts in the future”.
