A new accommodation centre for asylum seekers is opening in Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry.

The first of 150 asylum seekers who are being redeployed from hotels in Dublin are set to arriving in the Kerry town on Wednesday.

However, the suddenness of today's announcement by the Department of Justice has been heavily criticised.

In a statement, the Department of Justice & Equality said that the new accommodation centre for international applicants at the Skellig Star Hotel, the former Watermarque Hotel, in the centre of Cahersiveen is part of its emergency response to Covid-19.

Local councillor Johnny Healy-Rae said the move is completely without consultation with local people or public representatives. He has accused the Department of “taking advantage” of the virus outbreak to avoid consulting with local people.

“It is being viewed by a lot of people – and my phone has not stopped since news of this broke – that the Government are taking advantage of the Covid-19 virus to redistribute people to the four corners of Ireland without any consultation.”

Local representatives were contacted just before 10am to be told a contract for 12 months was to be signed at 12 noon, he said.

Cahersiveen is over an hour from any hospital and its health services are already stretched, he said, adding that there are no services in place for asylum seekers or for an extra 150 people.

“It is not appropriate either, at this point in time for the people being moved from Dublin or for local people,” he said.

In a statement, the Department said they understood that the residents of Cahersiveen, and surrounding areas, will have questions and some concerns regarding the announcement.

“This decision has not been taken lightly,” it said.

We are in unprecedented times. The Department has a duty to protect all persons seeking international protection, and this is one step that we are taking in this regard.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of applicants, they said they needed to transfer those who are currently in emergency accommodation in commercial hotels to dedicated accommodation centres to ensure that they can be supported by a centre management team and receive all HSE information and guidance in an appropriate and timely way, the statement said..

“We will continue to work tirelessly to support our residents and would ask local people to understand the unique environment, pressures and strains on the system at this time as we look to ensure the safety of all involved,” the Department said.

Staff have not yet been put in place, according to sources and catering personnel in Killarney temporarily laid off are being approached to work in the centre, it is understood.

The contract with the former Skellig Star Hotel in Cahersiveen is for a 12-month period. It is to provide accommodation for 150 single people across 56 bedrooms and was offered to the Department under the Expressions of Interest process.

The Skellig Star Hotel, formerly known as the Watermarque Hotel, underwent a €3m revamp in 2017 when it was purchased by a group of Irish and Chinese investors.

The Department of Justice earlier this year denied that there were plans for a direct provision centre for the town of Cahersiveen.