After over 463 days of peaceful protest, the residents of Rosslare Harbour have decided to stand down their demonstration following a key decision from An Bord Pleanála.
The protest, which began in November 2023, centered around a plan to convert the Great Southern Hotel, initially granted planning permission for a nursing home, into a center for those seeking international protection. The controversy arose when the residents raised concerns that this was a development project that could adversely affect their community, and they were not adequately consulted in the decision-making process.
Wexford TD Verona Murphy took action by submitting a Section 5 request to clarify whether the use of the hotel for this purpose was exempt from planning laws.
After a disappointing 15 months of waiting, An Bord Pleanana, ruled that the proposal for an IPAS center at the site was indeed not exempt from development. This meant that the hotel, which had already been granted permission to be converted into a nursing home, could not simply transition into an IPAS center without going through the full planning application process.
The Ceann Comhairle speaking on South East Radio said it was disappointing it took so long:
Audio PlayerSpeaking to South East Radio Sean Grant, a spokesperson for the protestors expressed the community’s sense of accomplishment following the announcement. He reflected on the 463 days of peaceful protest, enduring extreme weather conditions and standing united as a community. Sean Grant, along with his fellow residents, made it clear that they were fighting for the preservation of the Great Southern Hotel’s original purpose—a nursing home—especially given the pressing need for such facilities in the area. They had no objection to a nursing home being built but were concerned about the lack of consultation when the plan shifted towards an IPAS center.
With the planning issue now resolved, the community in Rosslare Harbour has decided to stand down their protest. Sean Grant confirmed this decision, noting that the community had achieved the result they were seeking when they first set out on their campaign. “After 463 days, we feel we’ve done our bit,” Grant said. “We’ve stood together, and we’ve stood tall”
The protest, initially a 24/7 effort, had to be scaled down over time due to the challenges of maintaining constant participation. Nevertheless, the residents continued to stand firm, gaining support from local representatives, including Councillor Ger Carthy and Frank Staples.
