Firm earning millions for housing refugees faces opposition to D2 hostel plans
Gordon Deegan
A firm that has earned millions in profits from State contracts to provide emergency accommodation for International Protection (IP) applicants and Ukrainians is facing opposition to its hostel plans for a site in Dublin 2.
In February, Co Wicklow firm Peachport Ltd lodged plans with Dublin City Council for a change of use of an existing four-storey over-basement building at Adelaide House on Adelaide Rd in Dublin 2 from office use to short-term let hostel accommodation.
The most recent accounts for Peachport Ltd states that its main activity is the provision of emergency accommodation services and its work in the sector has proven to be very lucrative.
The accounts show that the firm’s post tax profits of €2.8 million for the 12 months to the end of February 2025 follow post tax profits of €5.69 million for the prior year.
Peachport’s work in providing emergency accommodation for a number of years for the State has resulted in it having accumulated profits of €11.7 million at the end of February 2025 while its cash funds totalled €8.55 million.
Purchase orders published by the Dept of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth show that the company received payments of €5.2 million for housing Ukrainians and IP applicants during 2024.
Peachport Ltd is jointly owned between Philomena Germaine (98) and Joseph Germaine (59) and two are also directors of the business.
Now, in response to the Adelaide House hostel plan, local residents William Phelan and Haiyan Wang of Harcourt Terrace, D2 have called on the council to refuse planning permission for “the proposed very high-density accommodation at this location”.
They state that the floor plans indicate 'approximately 100-110 bed spaces' across 24 bedrooms in a building of just 895 sq.m and “this represents gross overdevelopment”.
They state that Peachport Ltd, has a documented history of operating State-contracted Direct Provision and IPAS accommodation here.
They state that given the nature of the planning application and the applicant's background in the IPAS sector, that the Council attach a condition to any grant of permission strictly prohibiting use of the premises as an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre or any other form of State-contracted emergency accommodation.
Another Harcourt Terrace resident, Pat Whyte has told the council “I am deeply concerned about the scale and nature of this proposed hostel development”.
Mr Whyte said that there is a Montessori School and a primary school on the same stretch and contends that “the arrival of 100 transient visitors immediately beside this location raises serious safety and amenity concerns, especially around droÑ-off and pick-up times”.
On behalf of Kevin Woods and his family of Adelaide Road, Dublin 2, Sheridan Woods Architects + Urban Planners state that “the potential provision of 232 bedspaces represents a gross intensity of use”.
The Woods objection requests that the Council refuse permission on the basis “that this use is not permitted within this land use zone”.
The objection adds that the proposal “would not provide adequate residential amenity to future occupants and would result in a grossly substandard form of development”.
A decision is due on the application later this month.
A spokesman for the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration said Tuesday that Peachport Ltd currently has one contract with the Department for EyrePowell Hotel, Co Kildare.
They said that the EyrePowell Hotel has a capacity to accommodate 152 people seeking international protection.
