THE OPERATOR OF the Swords Express has told An Coimiúsin Pleanála that if it were to provide off-site housing for its mainly foreign workforce it would cost the company €6 million to €7 million in capital costs and €250,000 in annual recurring costs.

In an appeal to An Coimiúsin Pleanála (ACP) against Fingal Co Council’s decision to refuse planning retention for its modular staff accommodation at its north Dublin depot, planning consultant for Eirebus Ltd, Peter Thomson states that such an outlay “would render the company economically non-viable”.

In its planning refusal last month, the council refused a three-year planning retention application to Eirebus Ltd for 19 modular accommodation units and six mobile home units at the depot at Corduff Rd, Dublin 15 after finding that the units’ layout and arrangement “represent a serious form of substandard residential living”.

In Thomson’s 11-page submission he told ACP that the company is seeking the planning retention for the units in the context of a housing crisis “where there is a chronic shortage of housing for rent in the area”.

In the Eirebus appeal, Thomson told ACP that the workers’ on site accommodation is “essential” and required to sustain the existing transport business on the site “and without it the business potentially becomes uneconomical and unviable”.

Eirebus employs 92 workers and the firm has 70 buses on the road.

Thomson said that upon arriving in Ireland, foreign workers are not in a financial position to purchase a vehicle or rent accommodation.

Thomson has told ACP that when numbers of overseas workers for Eirebus were low, the company was able to procure local accommodation.

However, due to the increased numbers, the company would now require 12 three-bedroom homes or 18 two bedroom homes.

Thomson said that the off-site housing purchase would cost €6 million to €7 million and €250,000 in annual recurring costs while renting of such properties would cost €40,000 per month.

He said that Eirebus and other companies in similar circumstances feel strongly that the only way that they can continue to honour their public service commitments is to provide residential accommodation on site.

Thomson said that 68 of the Eirebus workforce are non-Irish nationals and 43 of them benefit from the on-site accommodation.

The planning appeal states that the non-Irish national workers are recruited from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal and “and their accommodation needs have to be carefully managed to avoid ethnic tensions”.

Thomson said that the three-year planning retention is required and would allow the applicant to look at alternative longer term accommodation solutions.

The appeal states that “the provision of employer managed accommodation assists Eirebus in maintaining a relatively stable workforce ensuring that essential transport services can continue to operate efficiently and safely”.

In response to the reasons for refusal, Thomson stated that the layout and design of the accommodation are appropriate for the site setting.

The appeal disclosed that a foreign national employee living at the staff accommodation died, and his death was found to be a death by natural causes. The Fire Officer for Fingal Co Council visited the site and accommodation and raised no issues.

A decision is due on the appeal next February.