CONFIRMATION that Barringtons Hospital on George’s Quay in the heart of Limerick City is not set to be used as accommodation for international protection applicants has been welcomed locally.
The statement from the Department of Justice this week comes in direct response to a letter from Fianna Fáil senator Dee Ryan to Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan. This followed local concerns sparked by recent media reports that the former hospital building might be used as a facility for applicants to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS).
Senator Ryan said that Minister O’Callaghan confirmed to her that Barringtons Hospital is not being considered for IPAS accommodation, adding that she is “glad the issue can now be put to bed”.
In his response to Senator Ryan, Minister O’Callaghan said the level of need for IPAS accommodation is now stabilising, and over 400 properties, including 12,000 tourism beds, have already been returned in 2024 to their previous uses.
“The government is now focusing on a more sustainable and balanced approach to accommodation, including through the development of State-owned land and targeted purchasing of appropriate properties,” the Minister said.
Senator Ryan said her focus is now on ensuring the Barringtons building is brought back into productive use in a way that benefits the local community and residents of the city centre.
“This is an iconic site in the heart of Limerick. Rather than remaining idle or being used on a short-term emergency basis, we should explore opportunities to deliver real value for the community – whether that’s through housing, cultural or community space, or another use that supports the ongoing regeneration of our city,” she said.
Independent councillor Ursula Gavan also expressed her delight that Barringtons is now returned to public ownership.
The City North representative believes that Barringtons could now serve in an exciting new chapter for the future of healthcare in Limerick.
“It is centrally located to provide step-down facilities as well as a nursing home providing long term care for older adults,” Cllr Gavan suggested.
“This is a unique opportunity to see it repurposed and at a fraction of the cost for a second State-owned nursing home for the region. We know St Camillus’s is at capacity and we need to future proof our older age services in the region.”
Independent councillor Maria Donoghue also took the view that Barringtons is best suited for a healthcare or medical facility — “a use that is urgently needed in the Mid West region and would serve the community in a meaningful, long-term way”.
However, Cllr Donoghue maintains, while this outcome is positive for Barringtons, it highlights a broader and more pressing concern: the increasing trend of Section 5 planning exemptions being used to prioritise “lucrative” government contracts for temporary accommodation — often at the “expense of sustainable, long-term development”.
“This planning loophole prioritises short-term profit over long-term urban resilience, housing, and community balance. City centres like Limerick cannot be regenerated through short-term, profit-driven accommodation contracts that override planning norms – this approach effectively locks communities, businesses, and local authorities out of key decisions affecting the future of our cities. True urban renewal requires balanced, inclusive development,” the City West representative commented.
“The use of Section 5 to exempt IPAS and other temporary, low-threshold developments from planning is eroding public trust and undermining the integrity of urban planning.”
Limerick Chamber also welcomed the clarification that Barringtons Hospital will not be used for IPAS accommodation.
“In July, we wrote to both the Minister for Housing and the Minister for Justice, highlighting the challenges with the planning exemption system for IPAS accommodation,” Chamber CEO Michelle Gallagher told the Limerick Post.
“We highlighted that the planning exemption process for IPAS accommodation is totally at conflict with local planning process and strategic urban development, we also highlighted that it distorts the value in the local property market by tying developments to highly lucrative government contracts, which then detracts investors from investing in other uses for buildings.”
The Chamber CEO said that “the exemption process has also led to a two-tier planning system, whereby regular residential accommodation is subject to higher levels of investment and planning timelines than IPAS accommodation, which is not ideal. We have yet to receive a response from ministers regarding our concerns.”
Limerick Chamber also believes there are concerns with transparency of the IPAS process.
“While we recognise the State’s decision to provide IPAS accommodation, we continue to call for a fair, planned, and balanced approach that avoids over-concentration of social services in city centres and ensures procurement does not distort local property markets or bypass local development plans,” Ms Gallagher concluded.
