THE OWNER OF the former Crown Paints site in Coolock earmarked for asylum seekers has received over €23 million from the Department of Children since last year for the provision of accommodation of Ukrainians and international protection applicants. 

The site owner is listed as Townbe Unlimited Company, according to a change of use notification issued in April to transform the site into hostel accommodation for asylum seekers.

Townbe hasn’t published any accounts since June 2019 and as an unlimited company isn’t required to provide information on how much profit the company is making.

However, the Mail on Sunday have previously reported that it has been in the top 10 companies that have received payments from the Department for accommodating Ukrainians and asylum seekers since 2021.

Five fires have broken out at the former Crown Paints factory on the Malahide Road in Coolock, where anti-migrant protesters have clashed with Gardaí following the announcement the site was to be used to house asylum seekers.

The two directors of Townbe are listed as Tanya Hennigan and Cork developer Paul Collins.

Collins previously made headlines in 2020 following a Covid-19 outbreak at a direct provision centre managed by him through a different company in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.

Residents at the Skellig Star Hotel described conditions as “inhumane” at the time when more than 100 asylum seekers were transferred to the former 56-bedroom hotel leading to cramped conditions.

Following an outbreak of Covid-19, residents were unable to properly self-isolate leading to further spreading of the virus. In response, a number of residents at the centre began a hunger strike seeking to improve conditions, and it was later closed.

In 2022, the former hotel reopened to host Ukrainian refugees, with local representatives claiming that lessons had be learnt from the previous controversy. 

A holding company for Townbe also lists Paul Collins as a director alongside Melanie McGarry, who has an address in Switzerland.

The company has received tens of millions of Euro from the Department of Children since 2020 for the provision of accommodation of international protection applicants and Ukrainian refugees and operates numerous sites across the country.