Former restaurant used to accommodate Ukrainians being shut down due to fire safety issues

Sarah Slater

A former restaurant used to accommodate almost 150 Ukrainian men, women and children is being shut down by the Department of  Integration due to fire safety concerns in the run up to Christmas.

The building previously known as Toughers Restaurant, 9kms from Carlow town, is now to close at the latest on January 1st next.

The premises were converted to accommodate Ukrainian International Protection Applicants in 2022 when Russia began their invasion of the country.

The Department of Integration has ended its contract with the accommodation provider and sources have confirmed that all of the Ukrainian families must leave before or on January 1st next.

It is also understood that the families and schools the children attend locally received notification that they must leave last Thursday giving them and the Department 19 days to locate alternate accommodation.

A Department spokesperson confirmed that they have “terminated the contract” for Tougher’s Accommodation Centre due to “fire safety concerns” following site inspections by an independent inspections company.

The spokesperson explained that at the “time of inspection,” of the centre “the quality of the accommodation being provided was found not to be of the necessary standard required by the Department.”

“We made the decision to remove the people living there in the interests of their safety. While it is unfortunate that they will have to be moved with very little notice, this is unavoidable given the concerns raised,” the Department spokesperson continued.

However, the Department said that while families will “where possible” be accommodated locally other properties around the country will have to be used.

“Given the significant number of people at this location and the shortage of accommodation the Department has under contract in this area, it is expected that properties in other parts of the country will have to be used,” the spokesperson revealed.

“We regret the disruption that this will cause to the people involved, but the Department has a duty of care to the people who were accommodated at this (centre).”

The Department previously dealt with issues concerning fire safety back in late 2022 which were subsequently addressed.