The Twin Trees Hotel in Ballina, County Mayo, has faced allegations of unregistered contractors performing work before the arrival of 120 asylum seekers. These allegations are being investigated by the Department of Integration and Safe Electric.The Twin Trees Hotel in Ballina, County Mayo, has faced allegations of unregistered contractors performing work before the arrival of 120 asylum seekers. These allegations are being investigated by the Department of Integration and Safe Electric. The hotel dismisses these allegations and another complaint regarding construction waste buildup and increased rat activity. Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department has received multiple complaints about the alleged contractor work. The allegations include violations of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, which prohibits unregistered contractors from performing electrical work. A spokesperson for the Department of Integration confirmed the investigation and emphasized the provider’s responsibility to ensure adequate accommodation standards and compliance with applicable laws. Safe Electric has also been notified and will conduct an investigation. The Department will take appropriate actions to address any breaches of contractual obligations. The Twin Trees Hotel owners deny the allegations and state that all work was done by qualified contractors. They have been cooperating with relevant departments and have found no evidence of rodent activity. The hotel has removed some of the waste, but not all, due to protesters blocking the rear entrance. The hotel claims that protesters’ actions made it unsafe to remove the remaining waste.
A hotel in the west of Ireland has dismissed allegations that an ‘unregistered’ trader carried out work at the hotel before 120 asylum seekers arrived.
The Department of Integration and Safe Electric are said to be conducting their own separate investigations into the allegations surrounding the complaints relating to the Twin Trees Hotel in Ballina, County Mayo.
The hotel also dismissed a separate complaint lodged by a Ballina mother with the HSE Environment Health Officer, who alleged there had been a “build-up of construction waste on site” which she said was leading to “an increase in the number of rats”.
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It is understood Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department received several emails from people in the Ballina area last week in relation to trader work being carried out on the hotel grounds. The allegations are currently under investigation and the hotel’s owners have denied any wrongdoing.
It is illegal for an unregistered contractor to carry out restricted electrical work under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, as amended.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Integration confirmed that an ‘investigation’ is taking place and outlined that responsibility lies with the owners.
He added: “When providing accommodation the responsibility lies with the provider to ensure that the property is of an adequate standard and that the provider will provide the services in accordance with good industry practice and comply with all applicable laws, including but not limited to all obligations. health and safety, environmental, social, child protection and labor law applicable to the place where the services are provided.
“If a provider is found to be in breach of its contractual obligations, the Department will take appropriate steps to ensure that an accommodation provider rectifies these matters in accordance with relevant legislation.”
“Safe Electric, which maintains a register of all registered and qualified electricians, has also been notified and in an email response to one of the complainants they confirmed that an “immediate investigation will be carried out”.
The Ministry of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth announced in April that 120 beds for families seeking international protection would be added to the facility on Downhill Road in Ballina.
Hundreds of people, stating that there had been no consultation with locals and claiming the hotel was an unsuitable location, protested in Ballina on Saturday, April 20, objecting to the plans.
The owners of the Twin Trees Hotel were contacted for comment and response and they have denied all allegations.
A spokesperson for the hotel said “all works to the property were carried out by qualified contractors”.
The spokesperson said they have been working with the relevant departments and there is no evidence of any rodent activity on site.
“The spokesperson said that the hotel had been able to remove some, but not all, of the waste (in recent weeks), and that said waste had been left on site due to protesters blocking the rear entrance to the property.”
“The actions of the protesters made it unsafe to remove the waste.” However, the hotel confirmed on Wednesday that they were able to remove “some of the waste, but not all”
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