Eircode Power: Dublin 4 Victory Highlights How Your Address Determines Who Moves In

Eircode Power: Dublin 4 Victory Highlights How Your Address Determines Who Moves In

Ardee News and Sport – Eircode Power: Dublin 4 Victory Highlights How Your Address Determines Who Moves In

By ArdeePost Reporter – With reporting from the Irish Independent

In a development that raises serious questions about equality and policy consistency, Dublin 4 residents have successfully halted plans to house asylum-seekers in a former hotel in Donnybrook — and their Eircode may have been their strongest asset.

According to reporting from the Irish Independent, the Department of Integration has confirmed that the former Sachs Hotel, also known in recent years as the Hampton Hotel, is “no longer under consideration” for use as a centre for international protection applicants. This came after weeks of intense lobbying and grassroots action by concerned residents of the affluent South Dublin neighbourhood.

Over 1,000 flyers were distributed throughout the area warning locals of a plan that could see up to 300 asylum-seekers accommodated in the iconic site on Morehampton Road. The reaction was swift and unified. Meetings were held, politicians were contacted, and pressure was applied. It worked.

A Department spokesperson told the Sunday Independent, “An offer of international protection accommodation was made to the Department in relation to this property, but this is no longer under consideration.”

While the Department claimed suitability assessments drive decisions, residents believe the true power lies in their postcode — D04. As one local bluntly put it, “That’s like winning the lottery to me. My house would be of absolutely no value as a result of this centre.”

The move has exposed a stark contrast between government messaging and reality. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and various ministers have insisted in recent months that no community can veto who moves into their area. But the decision in Dublin 4 appears to suggest otherwise — if your Eircode carries enough weight.

Representatives from all major political parties in the Dublin Bay South constituency were contacted by residents. Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, Labour leader Ivana Bacik, and Fine Gael TD James Geoghegan were all lobbied. Bacik reportedly encouraged positive integration efforts should the centre proceed, while Geoghegan said simply, “The decision speaks for itself.”

Others were more vocal. One resident warned of a cultural corrosion taking place nationwide:

“Allowing so many migrants into our little island is corroding our way of life, culture, history, our memories, our families… everything we as Irish identify with is being lost.”

Another added, “Donnybrook has really died a death in my life living in D4. There is nothing left in it, and the hotel was the last thing to go. Kiely’s is closed, McCloskey’s is closed… all that’s left is a supermarket.”

The Sachs/Hampton Hotel, which closed in April 2023, was put on the market last October for €12.5 million. Architects indicated that it could be redeveloped into a 121-bedroom hotel, a 131-room aparthotel, or a residential scheme with 59 apartments.

Meanwhile, figures released last year highlight how uneven the distribution of asylum-seekers and Ukrainian refugees is across Ireland. Counties like Kerry, Donegal, and Cork accommodate thousands, while affluent urban areas like Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown (284), and Monaghan (313) host far fewer. For asylum-seekers, most are placed in Dublin City, South Dublin, and Fingal — not leafy enclaves like Donnybrook.

The message from this case is clear: When it comes to government plans on migration and accommodation, not all postcodes are treated equally. D4 has spoken — and the government listened.

With reporting from Niamh Horan, Irish Independent

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