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Full Hearing Date For Lissywollen Asylum Seeker Centre Set

Sunday, 8 June 2025 13:24

Councillors in the Athlone area are bringing a legal challenge over the centre to the High Court.

A full hearing date for a legal challenge on a new 1,000 person capacity asylum seeker centre in Westmeath has been set.

Last week (Monday May 26th), Judge Emily Farrell set the date for the Lissywollen development for June 23rd.

Four Councillors from the Athlone/Moate Municipal District are behind the challenge: Mayor Frankie Keena, Cllr. John Dolan, Cllr. Aengus O’ Rourke and Cllr. Paul Hogan.

The public representatives are welcoming the news, but cautioning that adjournments have followed previously announced full-hearing dates.

The legal challenge against the project was taken on planning and environmental grounds late last year, in November.

The four councillors say in a joint statement: "In December the State conceded the development was invalid. Since then, we have sought a full hearing on the matter and declarations to be made by the Court. So, we welcome the decision by the Court to set a full hearing date. We express our appreciation to the courts for having the case heard in full in such an expeditious and prompt manner."

The full hearing will consider all of the affidavits, the expert planning and environmental opinion, the supplemental legal documents relating to the challenge.

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