Serious concerns about new planning applications that could lead to further IPAS Centres being built in the Rosslare District are being raised once more. It comes as the existing Rosslare Protest is entering its 449th day.
Sean Grant spokesperson for that protest over the re-purposing of the former Great Southern Hotel into an IPAS Centre, says that Rosslare Harbour is being “overloaded” with such proposals, and that the community is already struggling with a lack of amenities. “We have very few services here in Rosslare Harbour,” Grant explained. “Our doctors are under pressure, our schools are stretched, and we don’t even have a public toilet.”
In a recent article by Simon Bourke in the Wexford People, it was revealed that there have been four applications for IPAS Centres in Rosslare Harbour in just four weeks. This has led many residents to question the future of the community. While Sean Grant made it clear that the protest is not based on any form of discrimination, he said that the constant influx of such developments is taking a toll on the already strained infrastructure of the area.
Grant also voiced his concerns about Wexford County Council’s role in approving the transformation of the Great Southern Hotel into an IPAS Centre, questioning who signed off on the planning permission for this change of use. “I personally asked who signed off on the commencement for this building to go ahead as an IPAS centre, and no one could provide an answer,”
As the situation develops, Grant suggested that further protests may be organised, and residents are increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction with the current plans. “There’s a growing sense of anger around here,” he said. “The people of Rosslare Harbour feel neglected and under siege.”