'Serious deficiencies' in proposed Mayo IPAS centre planning application
MAYO County Council has identified 'serious deficiencies' in a planning application for a proposed new-build International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre in Ballyhaunis, says local Councillor Alma Gallagher.
The planningauthority has sought extensive further information before the application can be considered further.
The council’s response, says Councillor Gallagher, highlights major outstanding issues, including the absence of any contract or formal commitment from the State, concerns regarding excessive scale and density, inadequate parking and public open space, road safety, drainage, and non-compliance with national planning and transport standards. Pending receipt of this information, further consideration of the application has been deferred.
“As a public representative living in Ballyhaunis, I am strongly opposed to this proposal,” said Councillor Gallagher.
“The planning authority has now confirmed what residents have been saying from the outset; this application is fundamentally deficient and raises very serious planning concerns.”
Councillor Gallagher also confirmed that she met directly with Minister of State Colm Brophy in Leinster House in December, who stated that there is currently no contract, no agreement, and no communication between the department and the developer in relation to this proposed IPAS centre.
“This is the critical issue,” Councillor Gallagher said.
“A planning application of this scale is being advanced without any confirmed State requirement. That alone should give serious pause for thought.”
The application, submitted by Bridgestock Care Ltd., seeks permission for the construction of 32 accommodation units. Estimates indicate that each unit could accommodate up to three individuals, giving a potential total of 96 residents.
Based on the 2022 census population of 2,773, this would represent a population increase of approximately 3.5% arising from a single development.
Ballyhaunis already accommodates a significant IPAS presence, with approximately 250 residents housed at the existing Old Convent IPAS Centre.
Councillor Gallagher stated that local services, including healthcare, education, childcare, housing and transport, are already under sustained pressure.
“We need investment in infrastructure and services, not developments that further strain resources that are already overstretched,” she said.
Councillor Gallagher also pointed out that this is a brand-new build development and therefore does not qualify under Section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which applies only to limited categories of exempted development.
“It must go through full planning permission, proper scrutiny, and genuine public consultation,” she added.
Councillor Gallagher acknowledged the role played by Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce, which coordinated a detailed submission objecting to the proposed development.
The chamber facilitated residents and local businesses in signing the submission, which was formally lodged with the planning section of Mayo County Council by Councillor Gallagher and Anne Cunnane, CEO of Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce.
Nationally, the number of new international protection applicants entering Ireland has declined significantly. Official figures show a 43% reduction in applications in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, reflecting a shift in government accommodation policy.
This, she said, further undermines the case for a large new institutional development in a town the size of Ballyhaunis.
Councillor Gallagher reaffirmed her long-standing commitment to positive, sustainable development in the town.
“I have fought tooth and nail for the primary health care centre, phase 2 of the Abbeyquarter local authority housing scheme, pre-development work on the Scouts Den, and the reassessment of Mayo County Council’s regeneration and retrofit programme to bring vacant commercial buildings back into residential use.
“Ballyhaunis deserves investment and renewal. We cannot regress by approving large institutional developments that risk acting as a drain on our services and community.”
She concluded: “This is a pro-Ballyhaunis stance. Decisions of this scale must be made openly, transparently, and with local people involved from the outset.”