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THE CHURCH OF Scientology is expected to open a European base in south Dublin after spending money to refurbish a state-of-the-art community centre in Firhouse.
TheJournal.ie has learned that the movement is investing here by buying fittings for the Victory Centre – a large community centre and church which was at one time owned by the Victory Christian Fellowship.
A document seen by this publication shows that the Church of Scientology in the United States has paid for equipment to be sent to the Church of Scientology International (CSI) – crucially its address is listed as being on the Firhouse Road, Dublin 24. The full address reads:
CSI Ireland Community Center, Firhouse Road, Tymon South, Dublin 24.
The company they have used to ship the supplies list the following achievements on their website: “Since inception, HPC has purchased over $150 million of furniture, fixtures and equipment for projects ranging from the 5-star Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort and Spa in Hamilton, Bermuda to developing a comprehensive program for the Church of Scientology’s 155 buildings on 6 continents.”
Local Fine Gael councillor Brian Lawlor told TheJournal.ie that he has heard from a number of sources that the centre is to open. Currently, the only Church of Scientology International centre is located in Los Angeles and is described by the movement as the worldwide HQ and “the mother church of the Scientology religion”.According to the movement’s website:
Church of Scientology International (CSI), the mother church of the Scientology religion, is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. CSI oversees the ecclesiastical activities of all Scientology Churches, organizations and groups the world over and ensures that individual Churches receive guidance in their ministries. CSI also provides the broad planning and direction needed to support the Church’s international growth.
Sources have stressed that this does not mean that Scientology’s worldwide headquarters are being moved from LA to Firhouse. However, they did say that the group could use it as a European base. Last year, the centre sold for around €6 million, €12 million less than what it was valued at seven years ago. It also has a number of large meeting rooms and a designated place of worship which can hold over 1,200 people.
The church’s registered company here, which does not have religious or charitable status, recorded a profit of €48,803 in Ireland last year. The land in Firhouse is zoned by the council to be used as a place of worship. This means the Church of Scientology would not have to register any other interest with the council before building commenced on the site last year.
The land has not to be registered with the authorities and attempts to obtain information regarding the deeds proved unsuccessful. This week, we observed building work continuing on the site. Asked if they could comment on the new owners of the site, the builders said they could not. Sources have told this publication that the centre has the ability to host over 1,200 people for seminars and other church business.
To view a higher-res image of this document, click here.
The Church of Scientology in Ireland currently operates out of two small hubs, both based in Dublin city centre. Last year, it set up a new National Affairs Office on Merrion Square in Dublin. According to its website, the office was established to “assist in meeting both physical and spiritual needs, and in addressing social ills from drugs to poverty to homelessness”.
Speaking at the opening of the centre, current leader of the Church, David Miscavige, said: “By opening the doors of the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office for Ireland, we are continuing in the tradition of our Founder L Ron Hubbard who himself held an office at 69 Merrion Square.
“And we do so with the intent to offer our humanitarian initiatives to all in honour of our founder and the aims of Scientology — a civilisation without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights.”
The group has been contacted by TheJournal.ie for comment but none has been provided. Councillor Brian Lawlor met with us outside the centre this week and said that he had made representations to the council over the site.
He told TheJournal.ie: “I know for definite that the Scientologists are coming into Firhouse. It’s very disappointing. Not because of who is moving in but it’s a missed opportunity for the community. It’s a remarkable site and it could have easily been transformed into a school. There is a large demand for a new school in this area. We made a number of representations to the Department of Education about this but were knocked back.
“Now the Church of Scientology has it. I have to say it’s a bad move not to have taken advantage of the site. This is very short-sighted.”
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Not a chance. She’ll be gone by springtime. O’Doherty would have an extra 10 seats if he had been leader.
@Andrew Kenny: Doherty would have been selling the same product: an essentially one-issue party that doesn’t know what it believes in (apart from Irish ‘unity’) or who it’s trying to represent.
@Andrew Kenny: Adam’s stuck around for many years. Don’t think the membership will want to get rid of the current leader who gained the most seats for SF in this election than any other SF leader.
@F1rYnpWc: Getting one extra seat in a Dáil that has fourteen more seat than last time is far from a successful result for them.
@Tasty k: you need to revisit those numbers. SF has become the second largest party under her leadership. More seats than FG.
@Tasty k: And lucky to get it…..there’s not many SF supporters now saying “oh he got elected on the 15th count” SF topped the poll in 2020 with candidates getting elected on the first count this time it’s 3/4 .
@Tasty k: Taking them from 13% in the polls to the 2nd biggest party is a fantastic result for Sinn Féin. She’s hugely popular within the party. Strangely enough, it’s the usual suspects saying SF had a poor election while saying nothing about the disastrous election that FG had. Calamity Harris lol
@Anthony Curran: They were 12% in the locals and EU elections in June.
@Brendan O’Brien: excellent synopsis of the party.
@F1rYnpWc: by 1
@Brendan O’Brien: The young people who vote SF vote the brand and the one sheep went out the gap and 40 more went after that. Out Friday night with nephews (5) 25 to 35 all voted SF I asked which of the candidates did they give no 1 they had no idea of what the name of their candidates were. Asked name 2 front bench SF members apart from Mary Lou they hadn’t a Dickie bird.
@F1rYnpWc: The IRA will say when she goes.
@john beausang: ah will you cop on the IRA have been gone for 30 years
@Andrew Kenny: There’s only one political brain behind SF and that’s O Broin. Maybe one or two more that are capable of telling the government off for their failures, the rest are donkeys. Problem with O Broin is, he’s a Marxist. Most these pub republicans that support SF don’t even realise what that means.
@Brendan O’Brien: and some ink cartridges
@JP Fox:
Majority of Sinn Fein TDs in the last term were forbidden from issuing press releases or talking in to a microphone.
@barry williams: “they haven’t gone away you know”.
@F1rYnpWc: She had a disaster. If SF want to be government,she has to go,again, the FF leader was the only leader to bring in their running mate,SF need to stop being a populist party and stand for something,they flip flop under her and just seem to be happy shouting from the sidelines,If she stays around FF and FG will be in government in 5 years time.
@Tim Brennan: how could they, sure have them brainwashed with your FF/FG worshiping.
@F1rYnpWc: read above text again & take it in this time
@JP Fox: That’s an important point. Most SF lemmings dont know what communism really means, and that it is pointless trying to build a society on that ideology.
@F1rYnpWc: The real issue is that they were riding high in the mid 30s for so long and looking like a shoe in for government until it all fell apart and they are in the exact same position more or less than they were 4 years ago. With a housing fiasco and all sorts of government waste over that time to point to this seemed like a golden chance. A lot of the parties supporters belatedly abandoned them when they belatedly realised SF are a left wing nationalist party which is rare enough and are therefore pro immigration.
@Anthony Curran: well said Anthony…sick listening a certain few bashing Marylou some awful comments at her, regardless of what she stands for she is also a woman, Wife and a Mother…so disrespectful…
@Tasty k: If you look at how the new constituency boundaries were drawn, they appear to have benefited FF more than any other party.
@Anthony Curran: Sinn Fein not a nice party to be a member of according to past members
@barry williams: they have not gone away u know
@JP Fox:
A wealthy middleclass Blackrock collage Marxist at that.
I think every fairminded person is asking themselves if now is the time to disband Sinn Fein. To give us all a bit of peace, like.
@honey badger: “They haven’t gone away you know “
@Paul O’Mahoney: “scurrilous” :)
@honey badger: Dream on lad. Why would the 2nd largest party disband? Maybe I should ask FFG to disband. You know, to give us some houses, like!
@Anthony Curran: Well SF won’t be giving houses to anyone for the next 5 years, and the ones they said they would wouldn’t be mortgaged by banks nor insured as owner occupier.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Paul Mahoney
Is that from Ms McDonald or the Ard Comhairle ( aka the Army Council ) ?
@Vincent Alexander: They have one option that they are good at and that’s abstentionists they don’t take up seats in Westminster but do take the pay. Up to 1986 they had the same policy here and didn’t recognise the Constitution nor the Republic of Ireland, that changed and in 1997 had one TD.
If they revived the abstentionist policy they’d get paid for doing nothing which would save the new Dail a lot of time.
@Vincent Alexander: stop using the language or the Irish free state banana Republic media . The two parties ff and fg are responsible for the deaths of 40 homeless people on the streets of Dublin this year .if you voted for them again this time every homeless person who will die on the streets of the so called richest country in the word you have a hand in there deaths . There blood will be on your hands
@Conor O Keeffe: don’t be ridiculous
Bad news for Sinn Féin. She is politically incompetent and their main problem. It has, been one unforced own goal after another since she has been in charge.
@Des Hanrahan: she has consistently increased SF seat numbers election after election under her leadership. That’s not speculation, she has increased seat numbers each term. So I don’t think the membership would agree with your evaluation.
@F1rYnpWc: SF lost votes this time around though. Hopefully, SF will gradually disappear and we can get a serious opposition here to take on the govt.
@Alan: Not going to happen Alan, now matter how much you wish it would. FFG are now a singular party and Sinn Féin the main opposition (for now). It’s not that SF were in single figures. Now they’re the 2nd largest party in the Dáil. Why would they be going anywhere?!!
@Anthony Curran: Well, wherever ye are going, it’s certainly not into Government again……So 3 GEs and not a sniff of getting into Government.
Now the new left. How’s that going to work? SF do all the talking, and the others nod? Labour and the SDs would make a better opposition and probably will.
@F1rYnpWc: Under her stewardship the SF vote is dropping year on year. Her own election vote was down 12%. She is a seriously problem at this stage. She bangs on about the government being male, pale and stale without realising she is female,not pale but very stale.
@F1rYnpWc: SF are a clique not a party.
@Des Hanrahan: you could not work with her and secondly she has to ring Gerry for guidance
@Paul O’Mahoney: labour are in no way any sort of opposition. They showed their true colours when they crucified the most vulnerable when last in power. People are still recovering after their last stint in power
@barry williams: yet while SF lost votes, Labour gained votes.
@F1rYnpWc: members have zero say in that cult Only the army council
@Alan: I know Alan the electorate have short memories in this country. Labour are absolute s k u m for what they done last time. Can’t see SF doing any different in 5 years. Mary Lou has had 3 turns
@barry williams: Well as I said before the election the past is the past and I couldn’t vote for Labour then and I didn’t. Unlike SF Labour have been in Government many times and those other times things went well and not so well but at least they gave it a go.
SF today threw in the towel, became the vanquished of Irelands political parties.
People voted for a future and the felt SF didn’t have what it takes.
@Des Hanrahan: compared to Micheal Martin who said the IRA were unprovoked ? Or Simon who couldn’t talk to anyone and not get into a temper ?
As a person she will definitely not improve over the next 5y, and that’s good news for anyone not supporting SF. May she stay on for a long time!
That is curtains for SF so. At this stage she is a liability and the fact that this organisation cannot see it is just mind boggling.Another 5 years of womansplaining,waffle ,voting with the government then changing their minds,while achieving nothing in opposition.
@Gerry Lamont: bringing the party to becoming the second largest party in the Dáil is a liability? With more seats than FG, what does that make simon?
@F1rYnpWc: Only for the Northern part of this Island they would be unheard off
@F1rYnpWc: Tanaiste
If the Left parties stay firmly on the left side, they will make a strong opposition and alternative to FFG. With SF, SocDems, Labour they are on 60 seats or more. They can set the stage for the first alternative coalition. Next election they can grow and garner another 20+ seats to get a majority if they go to the people as the opposition coalition.
@F1rYnpWc: Are SF genuinely ‘left’, though?
@Brendan O’Brien: no they aren’t. It’s just a flag of convenience that will be shredded once it is no longer necessary. SF lost votes not because they are different but because they are the same (bar the obsession with a United ireland, not most voters priority)
@Brendan O’Brien: what does left and right mean anymore ?
We have a system, it could be better, it could be worse.
What we don’t need is chaos.
Nobody seems to understand what that means.
@F1rYnpWc: Left Sinn Fein are not left they are whatever it takes
@Brendan O’Brien: nope. They’re left right centre, centre left, centre right. They’re like the Hokey Cokey
@F1rYnpWc: Now your sucking diesel
@F1rYnpWc: some mix that, they would not last Labout & SD won’t go in they are not on the same page, keep on dreaming
McDonald under pressure for winning 39 seats and Harris not under pressure, makes sense alright, only in Ireland.
@Brian D’Arcy: But Harris will be in Government and has been, can you not see the difference….of course you can’t cults don’t allow that.
@Brian D’Arcy: because everyone was expecting FG to be decimated, especially with the retirement of a lot of established TD’s. Apart from a United Ireland SF offer very little to entice the objective voter. Populist BS is easily seen through.
Does she not realise she was rejected again by the irish voters
@Ciaran Nangle: Perhaps now they ditch the Tricolour waving at election counts, they think it only belongs to them it doesn’t it’s representation is for all of us, all of us. They did the same with the Easter Lily using it to raise money for their cause and party. Those men and women fought for a free Ireland and while it’s not a 32 county state its a vibrant country, with issues that can be sorted if the will is there.
I love my country and will defend her however I can’t say I love all my citizens as some are nefarious and will attempt to drag us backwards and Friday was a message we aren’t going backwards.
Maybe so my friend. But Mary has brought sf a long way. Through thick and thin. And I as a voter for sf feel totally ignored in this election. As have thousands of others. Democracy my bottom. But there are better times ahead that when you wind up with 39 seats that you will be recognised as voter with all the same rights as ff and fg voters have. But mehole would be out on his ear if he recognised sf.
@John Flanagan: Has your rear end an ear? There was a democratic election and SF lost.
@John Flanagan: 100k less votes for SF
@John Flanagan: poo hoo. Your pick did not win. Starting to sound like Trumps lot.
@John Flanagan: Now that is a world class whinge. SF lost 160,000 plus votes since 2020 at one stage polls had the 10 pts ahead of FF and FG, they had a disaster in the local elections and got to MEPs without reaching a quota. They have flipped flopped over every issue. Mary lou has always kept her family out of politics not this year…their 300k houses were on land the owners would never own, and I know banks wouldn’t mortgage them nor insurers insure them.
Her own vote is down substantially even adding the other candidates it’s still down.
SF has nobody to blame except themselves and she has now conceded the election with another grandiose deflection of a new left. I vote Labour and can’t see us joining the gig.
@John Flanagan: if gerry thinks she’s able she’s able he wouldn’t make them a laughing stock and she’s kept her nerve
@Vincent Alexander: by that reclining FG lost even more so.
It is strange that FG who have come 3rd for a second election in a row, lost the election as you say, and they have notions that Harris should get at go being Taoiseach. Madness. That kind of entitlement is never scrutinised, no articles about Harris needing to leave etc. But there are huge numbers waiting to attack SF.
Cynical of SF , every photo of Mary Lou, her left hand woman on her shoulder. A woman who has no mandate from the people of Ireland.
Mary Lou Autocrat McDonald move aside and let someone have a go they may just do a better job than you
Oh dear more shouting and balling in the Dail id say the auld army council will have a say in her longevity. Can someone tell her calm voices carry the message just as well.
With 60 new faces elected the public have spoken for and are getting change. Ireland has grown up. NB. Marx died in London on March 14, 1883. It’s 2024. The world is not flat.
@thomas molloy: we’re not getting change. We’re getting the same crap. 2 party’s that are now one who take care of the rich , multinationals, investment funds etc and laugh at the ordinary people of this country. There’s 14000 homeless people in this country we should reach the 20000 mark by the time this shower are done screwing us
@barry williams: And people voted for them. SF lost this election and before any attempts were made to form a government, Mary lou conceded threw in the towel, raised the white flag, retreated back into the bunker of being in opposition. That’s not what the SF voters wanted but it’s what they have given. Before the election you and your ilk were here and elsewhere deriding people, name calling, the usual bully boy tactics, now the bullies are silent……….why because the mask has slipped the empress has no clothes…..scream at the Internet all you want it changes nothing. SF LOST ANOTHER ELECTION…..for the 3rd time.
@barry williams:
14500 homeless out of a population of 5.5 million, that’s not bad and even better when you subtract those who are not fit to run a home, due to barring orders, drink or drugs. PS.
There has always being a waiting list for council houses sometimes up to 8 years and due to the points system you would need to have at least 2 kids. Dublin City Council has the highest homeless figures and that is run by a Left wing majority.
@Paul O’Mahoney: I didn’t deride or name call anyone on here before or during the election so stop lying please. If you have no evidence to back up your lies please apologise but I doubt you will. It wouldn’t be in you. You’re claiming I scream at the internet but you’re typing in your big capital letters for some strange reason. I don’t know why you’re banging on about SF I couldn’t give a F about them and have criticised them plenty of times on here. Your comment was really weird and strange to be honest
@barry williams: We’re getting the same crap from SF. Talking about laughing at people, isn’t that what the “Chuckle Brothers” – McGuinness and Paisley – did. Thirty years of sectarian violence and then both could laugh at their electorate. Stockholm Syndrome I think it is called.
@Vincent Alexander: so you would rather there was still a sectarian war going on up north? Strange. I think you will always get crap out of all them party’s up north. It’s a basket case
Every time she lies, her waistband expands further. It’s like Pinocchio but with her stomach instead of her nose. She’s been pigging at the taxpayer trough for too long.
Time to go mary another 5 years not going to make any difference
Michelle O Neill is a much better option, as bright and as convinced as Mary Lou but with a less aggressive approach and personality. She is good at convincing people without brow beating them.
@Matt Rogers: Michelle O Neill was not given any mandate down here
Well I ain’t inclined to have my tax payers money used, to support a murdrer of an 8 year old to be kept, fed and supported. We need to have a good look at who and what we’re leaving into this country. Whether it’s to bow down to eu dictates for increased injection of persons un becoming, or plan and impliment our own plan for furthering our countries future. We just made our choice
@Colm Murphy: Well you view doesn’t matter nor does it carry conviction to the electorate. Why don’t you crawl back into whatever you crawled out of . What happened was tragic but you are using the death of an innocent little girl as fodder for your hatred . You and your ilk are not going to hijack our country.
@Paul O’Mahoney: na it does, its because of these actions that have happened that some people are asking themselves, who are we, as a people, a country, & accepting people with these values into,and weakening our core structure as a forward looking and industrious citizens… do we have to put with this? Let’s leave them all in, and see what happens
@Paul O’Mahoney: crawl out of your rock and see what’s going on
@Colm Murphy: So no white Irish people have stabbed children? No white Irish has stabbed women, no white Irish has ever done any harm to anyone. You see where I’m going with this. You don’t see these as an assault on our culture or a slight on our people?
Of course, if the person is black/coloured, it’s an epidemic and an assault on our culture. Blah blah. You and your ilk are a bigger threat to our culture and country than immigrants . Ever culture race has bad people but you just see skin colour.
By the way learn to spell and construct a sentence correctly….indigenous is probably the word you meant.
You’re not an asset to this country.
@Colm Murphy: go away will you. Using the death of an innocent child to push your agenda is disgusting. There has been plenty of Irish children killed by Irish parents over the years .
@Colm Murphy: I sometimes disagree with Paul here regarding politics but I agree with him on this one. The death of any child should not be used for point scoring. I don’t even need to ask where your vote went which ended up miserable
@Paul O’Mahoney: He’s right.
The country has been hijacked by the rabble in the Dail.
Too many do gooders defending the rights of this imported rabble. Should not have been here with a criminal record.
What if they decide to elect a new leader?
@Sun Rise: I thought leaders of SF were anointed . And had their own internal procedures and laws…
Good news for FFFG.
Ha, Ha, …….to the power of 10 or more!!!!
Her voice alone…..
Excellent news. We can look forward to them sinking even further thankfully.
What a motley crew in that photo
That’s FF and FG in government again,she is holding SF back,guessing her FF background won’t be mentioned.
@Daniel Roche:
And elitist background and lifestyle.
@H Woo: I’m a working class middle earner,single father with a mortgage and SF at the moment will ruin our country,it’s not elitist and my lifestyle is to pay for my son,my mortgage and enjoy pints,SF are a populist party,they to make a stand and stop shouting to far right and left that supported them the last election.
@Daniel Roche: You are the type of person that should be taken care of not the ones who offer nothing. It can’t be easy doing what you’re doing but you’re children will have the best start and discipline. Hopefully they bring in a 30% tax bracket from 35k to 70k it’s feasible and the impact would be immense to families.
Like them or not, trust them or not, there’s no one in the party that comes close to Mary Lou
@RIP: For ineptitude?
@Dave G Doe: …your comments are too..
Let’s wait and see how many the election promises that FF/FG keep that they made to the citizens of Ireland. Five years is a bit too wait, let remember the election promises and just wait and see. The next time round they won’t have €14 billion to buy votes with.
@Jimmy Kiely: They really didn’t use the 14bn that was almost exclusively SF with houses and no builders , 40000 nurses, elimination of USC and LPT, no excise on fuel etc…even Mary lou said that the would be spending all of it …..their total extra spending was 80bn both capital and day to day in a time when CT tax could reduce by 10bn a year and tariffs cause a slowing of growth.
I think the electorate copped on and gladly said No to SF for the 3rd time in a row , some hatrick that….
@Dave G Doe: Department Of Ejit. Go back to you’re dog bed.
@Paul O’Mahoney: oh ye of short memories. Have you forgotten already the billions FF/FG have squandered over the last 10 years. The citizens of Ireland won’t be fooled for ever, FF/FG have bankrupted our country several times over the past decade.
@Jimmy Kiely:
Bankrupted country several.
times. Care to elaborate.
Ireland has only ever applied for one bale out.
Compared to Britian who have 3 under their belt.
get her out and redefine priorities. Doherty should be in charge
Marmite Mary….obviously!!
I’m not a SF supporter but I think David Cullinane would make a good leader for SF. He is less shouty and seems like a very well articulated man
@Stephen FitzGerald: no Thanks
@Stephen FitzGerald:
When he’s off the sauce.
She’ll stick around, any chance she’ll change her name to Mary Glue?
That’s gunna wind up the cartel
She needs to go, she should take Matt Carty with her, Time for change !
As long as Mary Lou is leader of SF they will never be in power so please stay forever Mary Lou. She is the easiest problem for SF to solve but they are to dumb to action it.
Above reply to Andrew
I assume the politburo in Belfast has approved this.
Ok
They might get more votes if they stop suing journalists. Only for the journalists we would not know what is really going on.
You can’t have the old cart full of sods being taken out of the bog for the next Five Years by the same turf cutter.
Ah jaysus please spare us!
Okay
have your say