A revised application was recently submitted to the Wexford County Council planning authority…
Directors Ian and Linda Skeffington of Flodale Limited submitted an application to Wexford County Council to turn the former Wexford convent, Convent of Mercy – located in the Templeshannon area of Enniscorthy – into an IPAS centre.
The accomodation comprises of 20 bedrooms, with a total of 50 beds.
A report which was created by Farry Town Planning LTD, highlights both national and local policy, and requests that the Wexford County Council can confirm whether or not the Convent is an Exempted Development.
“Whether a change of use of the existing rooms and spaces within a building which comprises the Convent of Mercy Templeshannon Enniscorthy from its lawful use a residential convent to a centre for the accomodation of Ukranian refugees and international protection applicants is developed and / or is a exempted developmnent,” the application reads.
No planning permission is needed for an Exempted Development and they “respectfully invited…Wexford County Council to endorse this referral request, in order that this heritage building can be used for war refugees and international protection applicants.”
Wexford County Council made their decision on June 13th 2025.
Just like their previous application, the Wexford County Council have decided that the old convent in Enniscorthy is “not exempt,” meaning that – for the time being anyway – Flodale Limited cannot use this property as an IPAS centre to house “war refugees and international protection applicants.”
As per the Wexford County Council Planning website, they have also issued Flodale Limited Group with a notification letter, available to view below.
In February 2025, a previous application for he proposed IPAS Centre for the Templeshannon area of Enniscorthy is being vehemently opposed by many locals in the area. Over 2,000 signatures have been collected and presented to Wexford Co. Council in oppostion to any IPAS Centre. Large crowds also marched in Enniscorthy in opposition to the proposed plans. At the time, the Enniscorthy locals were supported by local councillors including Cllr Aidan Browne, Cllr Paddy Kavanagh and Cllr Jackser Owens.
The Irish Government had previously expressed their interest in the convent. In an accompanying letter attached to the planning application, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Intergration & Youth stating that:
“The property has been offered to the Department as temporary emegency accomodation for International Protection applicants subject to the grant of a planning exemption. We would therefore request that this correspondence to be taken as evidence of engagement with the Department regarding the proposed change of use of the property…. I can confirm that the Department is interested utilising the above property for the accomodation of International Protection applicants,” a letter reads, signed by Paul Donoghue, a Higher Executive offier with the International Protection Procurement Services on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Intergration & Youth.
In the appendix of the application, another example from Cork County Council was highlighted. It showed how a convent located on Mill Lane, Buttevant, was given Exempted Development status in a bid to support their application.
Jason Redmond
From Gorey, Jason is the owner of Wexford Weekly. He is also a post-primary English and History teacher.
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