The director of a firm behind provision of refugee accommodation to the State paid himself more than €3 million last year.
JMA Ventures Limited, owned by James McCarville, has been in receipt of close to €30 million from the State for the provision of refugee accommodation since the beginning of 2023.
Accounts for the firm, which cover the 12-month period to the end of last August, have shown McCarville’s personal pay package rose from €1.2 million to €3 million in the year. He also received a €200,000 pension contribution.
JMA Ventures Limited controls €4.9 million of property primarily based in Donegal and Monaghan that has been used by the State for refugee housing.
RM Block
Last year, after-tax profits at the firm, set up in 2021, rose from €3.7 million to €5.5 million. The latest earnings caused accumulated profits to rise to €11 million. Cash at bank increased from €204,000 to €645,000.
Based on payments data published by the State, the company was paid at least €9 million for the provision of accommodation to Ukrainian refugees and the International Protection Accommodation Service system in the corresponding financial period.
The Irish Times contacted a representative of the company listed on its latest financial filings for comment.
The latest filings also showed the company, which has total debtors amounting to €8.4 million, has been used by McCarville to advance €3.2 million worth of funds to other limited companies he controls.
His firm JME Autosport Limited owed a balance of €336,000 to JMA Ventures Limited at year end. Carduff Developments Limited and JMBR Developments Limited owed €1.9 million and €919,000 respectively.
Based on Land Registry filings, JMA Ventures Limited owns a number of apartments in the residential developments called Robinson Hall and Westside Apartments in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Other assets listed on its balance sheet in the year included €615,000 of motor vehicles.
Last year, audits by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration of these properties said Westside and Robinson Hall apartments had a combined contracted capacity of 541 people.
The company, which was set up in 2021, was previously owned by Margaret McCarville, sister of former Monaghan GAA manager Seamus “Banty” McEnaney. He is one of the biggest recipients of funds from the State for provision of refugee accommodation.
James McCarville took over sole ownership of JMA Ventures Limited in 2023 when Margaret McCarville resigned as a director.
McCarville still has links to the McEnaney family through a new company called Mulerty Limited, which was set up last month. He has been listed as a director of the firm alongside John McEnaney and Gary McEnaney.
