On June 13, Dublin City Council granted an exemption for a former residential property at 66 Kincora Grove, Clontarf, on the north side of Dublin, to be used as “accommodation for persons under age 18 and seeking international protection under Class 14(h).”
Par for the course, you might say, as such exemptions are rarely subject to much scrutiny once they have the approval of the Department for such a use. In this instance, however, it would seem that the details as published on the City Council planning site are not currently accurate.
In their application, Yeria Unlimited states that 66 Kincora Grove is “currently in use as a social care accommodation under Class 14(f) at 66 Kincore (sic) Grove, Dublin 3, D03E9E8.”
In its decision issued on June 16 to accept the application, the DCC planner states that “The established social accommodation use for minors to include international protected youth does not constitute a material change of use and, therefore, does not constitute development for the purpose of the Act.”
The full planner’s report states that “It has been used for the past year as social care accommodation for individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities or mental illness.” It refers to the exemption cert, 0194/24, which was “granted for change of use from use as a house to use as a residence for max 6. no persons with intellectual or physical disability or mental illness and max 2no. persons providing care for such person.”
There is also reference to the company having an existing contract with TUSLA and in its application to the City Council.
“The applicant asserts that the property will continue to operate as managed social care accommodation, simply transitioning from housing minors with disabilities to unaccompanied minors seeking international protection. According to the applicant this continuity in function, staffing, and intensity of use means the change does not constitute a material change of use,” the report says.
But the thing is, you see, that 66 Kincora Grove is not currently in use as a social care accommodation. It has been undergoing significant renovations over the past months since it was bought for a reported €1.2 million in March 2024. It was put on the market for €1.3 million and was then a family residence but with “an opportunity” to “develop a property with obvious potential to create multiple dwellings on its large corner site.” The property folio for the property is not available.
Myself and another reporter from Gript visited the site on Tuesday morning and it was clear that there are still extensive works being carried out in the house. When we called to the house the door was opened by a person who was wearing construction clothing as were other people who were in the house.
We asked to see the manager and she informed us that there was nobody living in the house.
Yeria is owned by Paddy Hassett and Ciara Marjoram. They are also joint owners of Glenarm Care and directors of Confoveo Limited which is owned by Michael Marjorem who has an address in Monaco. Michael Marjoram is also the owner of a UK registered Brymore Care Homes Limited which had tangible assets of more than £5 million in 2024. The Marjorams have a long history of involvement in the nursing home sector.
Hassett and Marjoram have a number of other properties which have been similarly transformed from “social care accommodation” to care for persons under the age of 18 who have applied for international protection.
This includes the former Innisfallen care centre on Dungriffen Road which was granted an exemption after they bought it for around €2 million in June 2023.
It is clearly a successful and lucrative model. In this instance, however, it would seem that there is not, nor has there been, existing “social care accommodation” at 66 Kincora Grove as stated on the application to Dublin City Council.
Gript contacted the company who did not respond to our inquiries. Nor did Dublin City Council planning department – nor any of the local elected representatives for Dublin Bay North and Clontarf.
We did receive a response from Tusla which did not even address the question as to whether the property is currently being used as stated in the application and whether “persons under 18 are being accommodated in the building.” Instead their communications team sent a statement outlining the work of Tusla with “unaccompanied children” and that “Publishing the addresses of Children’s Residential Centres could place children at risk and we ask that you take this into consideration in your reporting.”