A company that has earned millions of euro from State contracts providing emergency accommodation for international protection (IP) applicants and Ukrainians is facing opposition to plans for a hostel on a site in Dublin 2.
Wicklow group, Peachport Ltd lodged plans with Dublin City Council in February to change the use of an existing four-storey over basement building, Adelaide House, on Adelaide Road, close to the Grand Canal, from office use to short-term let hostel accommodation.
According to its filed accounts, Peachport’s main activity is the provision of emergency accommodation services. Its work in the sector has proven to be very lucrative.
The accounts show the company made profits after tax of €2.8 million for the 12 months to the end of February 2025. That was down from €5.69 million the previous year.
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The company, which is jointly owned by directors Philomena Germaine (98) and Joseph Germaine (59), had accumulated profit of €11.7 million at the end of February last year, with cash funds of €8.55 million arising out of those services.
Local residents William Phelan and Haiyan Wang of Harcourt Terrace, have called on Dublin City Council to refuse planning permission for the Adelaide House hostel plan, said it proposed “very high-density accommodation at this location”.
They note that Peachport Ltd has a documented history of operating State-contracted direct provision and International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation.
Given the nature of the planning application and the applicant’s background in the IPAS sector, the objectors ask that if permission is to be granted, the council attach a condition strictly prohibiting use of the premises as an IPAS centre or any other form of State-contracted emergency accommodation.
Another Harcourt Terrace resident, Pat Whyte, told the council: “I am deeply concerned about the scale and nature of this proposed hostel development.”
Mr Whyte said there was a Montessori school and a primary school on the same stretch and contends that “the arrival of 100 transient visitors immediately beside this location raises serious safety and amenity concerns, especially around drop-off and pick-up times”.
Sheridan Woods Architects + Urban Planners, whose directors Charlotte Sheridan and Kevin Woods have an address on Adelaide Road, said “the potential provision of 232 bedspaces represents a gross intensity of use”. Its submission argues that “this use is not permitted within this land use zone” and so the application should be turned down.
