The owner of the country’s largest hotel, Citywest received over €1.3 million (all figures incl VAT) on average per week in 2024 for accommodating Ukrainians and International Protection (IP) applicants.
New figures show that the €68.27 million paid out to Cape Wrath UC, which is owned by investment group Tetrarch Capital and runs the 764-bed Citywest hotel and convention centre in Saggart, Co Dublin is a 27 per cent increase on the €53.7 million paid out to the hotel firm in 2023.
That is according to new quarterly figures published by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth which show that the overall spend on accommodation for IP applicants and Ukrainians totalled €1.84 billion for 2024.
The outlay equates to a daily average spend of €5 million across 2024.
However, the overall spend in accommodating Ukrainians and IP applicants was down sharply on 2023.
The €1.84 billion spent last year compared to €2.13 billion in 2023- a drop of €290 million.
The biggest factor in the decrease was the 43 per cent or €648 million reduction in the Ukrainian accommodation bill - last year it totalled €842 million compared to €1.49 billion in 2023.
The spend on accommodating IP applicants was €1 billion last year after paying out €280 million in the final quarter.
The €1 billion spend was a 54 per cent increase on the €651.75 million paid out in 2023.
The most recent figures show that there were 33,006 IP applicants on March 9th which was a 25 per cent increase on the 26,279 IP applicants at the end of December 2023
The figures show that for the 4th quarter of 2024, Cape Wrath UC received €18 million for the three months.
One of those to also benefit is Minister for State, Michael Healy Rae where his Kerry guesthouse, Rosemount Guest House, received €24,280 for the final quarter.
This brings to €1.22 million that Deputy Healy Rae's Rosemount Guest House has received over two years and three months from the Dept for accommodating Ukrainians.
The detailed figures show that the entity to receive the second highest amount in the 4th quarter for accommodating IP applicants and Ukrainians is IGO Emergency Management Services which received €12.46 million. This followed €14.6m paid out to the firm in the 3rd quarter.
The figures show that the operator of the Red Cow hotel operator, Guestford received €8.56m for the final quarter while Travelodge Hotels received €11m for the same three month period.
Holiday Inn Dublin Airport received €8 million for the three-month period.
TIFCO owns the Travelodge business here and TIFCO received €6.9m for housing IP applicants for the fourth quarter.
Plans to accommodate IP applicants at the D Hotel in Drogheda have been a source of controversy and the new figures show that the move has been a lucrative one for the owners receiving payments of €7.7 million for the final quarter.
The figures show that Tirawley Ltd trading at Breaffy House Resort in Co Mayo received €5.56 million in the fourth quarter for accommodating Ukrainians and IP applicants.
The figures also show a company controlled by former Monaghan GAA football manager, Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney, Brimwood UC received €3.5 million for the 4th quarter in addition to the €50.4 million the company has received in the prior seven quarters.
The figure also show that Dublin firm, Winward Management Ltd owned by hotelier Patrick Coyle, received €5.9 million for accommodating Ukrainians in the final quarter.
The figures also show that Mosney Holidays plc received €9.5 million for accommodating IP applicants in the final quarter.
Security firm Allpro Security Services received payments of €6.1 million after receiving €15 million in the prior two quarters.
