Waterford Council has confirmed that any company interested in opening a direct provision centre would not need to apply for planning permission.

Joe Conway says there’s been some activity at the Grand Hotel in Tramore in recent weeks raising speculations about the hotel which closed five years ago.

The Independent Councillor wants to know what the position is with regard to planning. He asked if there was an application for another direct provision site
in Tramore in a building that was a hotel, would there be a necessity for planning.

Jim O’Mahony from the Planning Department said there was a specific exemption which was brought in a few years ago that would allow the direct
provision facilities to go ahead without planning permission.

Joe Conway then asked if someone wanted to convert the Grand Hotel in Tramore to direct provision they could do it at the stroke of a pen?

Jim O’Mahony confirmed that was the case.

Metropolitan Mayor Joe Kelly said he would imagine there would be massive upgrades needed because of the current condition of the hotel.