A popular Dublin city-centre restaurant say they have been forced to close after 16 years in business because of the ongoing situation with asylum seekers in the area, and the lack of support regarding same from the authorities.
The owners of Italian restaurant Mamma Mia, which is located on Mount Street close to the International Protection Office where asylum claimants are processed, announced the news on social media this week.
In a statement, the business wrote:
“We are very sad to share the news that we have been forced to make the very difficult decision to close our restaurant after sixteen years. This has been devastating to us but unfortunately due to the ongoing IPAS and IPO situation we are surrounded […] our business can no longer be sustainable due to the lack of support & help from both Dublin City Council and Government bodies, we have been forced to close our business.
“We would like to say thanks to all our customers who have supported us over the last sixteen years, you really did keep us going through good and bad times. It’s a sad day for us.”
Mount Street hit international news headlines in 2024 after those seeking international protection began setting up tents outside the offices, with the State unable to house them.
Business owners as well as residents of Dublin’s Mount Street expressed concern about the build-up of more than 200 tents. Barricades were put in place around the International Protection Office (IPO) last May and surrounding areas by Dublin City Council after the removal of the tents.
Those living and working in Mount Street previously said they would like the barriers to be removed and replaced with security personnel to patrol the area, telling the media in recent months that they felt “barricaded” by the fences, which were supposed to be a temporary measure, remaining in place one year on.
Ruth Hamilton, who alongside her husband Clint, owned Mamma Mia, previously told the Irish Times that DCC was “happy to leave” the barricades up, despite the fact that they were surrounding the family’s business, located on Grattan Street behind the IPO.
“Any suggestion that I’ve brought to them, they’re not taking them on,” she said, describing the encampment as a “disaster” for her business.
“People are not going to come into my restaurant and spend money to look out at a horrific view,” she told the paper, adding: “It’s heartbreaking because our business was booming before the tents and these barriers and, now, we’re actually just going month by month at this stage.
“Our business is on its knees. We just feel like we’ve been completely forgotten about. It’s hard to believe that it’s still going on.”
Footfall at the popular Dublin restaurant had “diminished” due to the barricades, which hampered any hope of a recovery after the downturn experienced due to the tent encampment.
As reported by Gript, the Mount Street Residents Group also objected to a proposed IPAS centre at 33-41 Mount Street Lower. The plan proposed a change of use from office to “accommodating international protection applicants under Class 20F or Class 14H2” and registered with the City Council planning authorities in April.
Well-known chef and restaurateur Paul Treyvaud said that the situation was ” absolutely scandalous and way beyond a joke now at this stage”.