Following the signing of a contract to accommodate 98 IPAS residents in the Merriman Hotel, the village’s only hotel and a critical local resource, the Kinvara Community Council is calling on the government to immediately reconsider.
At a recent public meeting attended by residents, business owners, local councillors, and East Galway Oireachtas members, the community expressed a united sense of deep frustration and concern over the government’s decision-making, which they say has been made without consultation, in breach of its own policies, and with no regard for the broader economic and social impact on the village.
“We are not opposed to supporting those in need,” said a representative of the Kinvara Community Council. “Kinvara is a welcoming place — just ask the Ukrainian families already living, studying, and working here. But this move ignores the realities of rural life, flouts government policy, and hurts everyone — residents, refugees, and local businesses alike.”
Key concerns raised by the community include:
The fate of Ukrainian refugees currently residing in the Merriman Hotel, who are integrating into schools, businesses, and the community. There is no clear plan for their future, nor any communication from the government on the next steps.
Profiteering by hotel owners under state contracts, with Merriman alone reportedly earning over €9m in the last 5.5 years. The new deal is expected to be similarly lucrative, exposing a flawed incentive structure that benefits private interests while hollowing out rural towns.
Severe economic impact on tourism and local trade. An independent assessment estimates the loss to the local economy at €2.4 million per year, with knock-on effects to restaurants, shops, and services.
Zero consultation with the community, despite government policy stating that no town should lose its only hotel to IPAS accommodation.
Strangling the Wild Atlantic Way
The Kinvara case is part of a wider pattern along the Wild Atlantic Way, where village after village — from Ballyvaughan to Lisdoonvarna and even Westport — is being stripped of tourist accommodation under opaque state deals. The regions that are marketed internationally for their unique charm are being deprived of the infrastructure that supports tourism.
“This is one of the most successful global marketing campaigns ever launched by Ireland,” said the spokesperson. “Yet government policy is now strangling the Wild Atlantic Way — eroding our ability to welcome tourists and hollowing out rural life.”
Call for clarity and change
The Kinvara Community Council is asking, What is the government’s long-term strategy for rural integration and accommodation? Will the government cancel this contract in line with its policy? Why is local consultation being ignored? And how can Ireland claim to support rural communities while incentivising the removal of their most basic infrastructure?
“This is about more than Kinvara,” the council concluded. “It is about the government betraying its own policies, incentivising commercial operators to strip small villages of vital services, and turning its back on the very citizens it claims to represent. The people of Kinvara have taken note. We urge the rest of Ireland to do the same.”
