Limerick's Mount Trenchard Direct Provision Centre to close

A CONTROVERSIAL Direct Provision centre in County Limerick is to shut its doors, the Limerick Leader can confirm.

Numerous sources, including a senior government source, confirmed the news this Friday evening.

It is believed that 16 of the residents have already been transferred to a Direct Provision Centre in Ennis, with Mount Trenchard expected to close down fully in three weeks.

The news comes a month after Doras, Non-profit organisation in Limerick, called for the facility's closure likening the centre located 5km from Foynes to "Guantanamo Bay".

One resident, who spoke to the Limerick Leader, expressed their delight at the move to the centre in Ennis. 

“It’s good because we will be in a town centre with busses to everywhere. The place is nice and we will be able to cook for ourselves.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Equality said:

"The contract with the service provider for Mount Trenchard ends in February. The Department will not be renewing the contract and will be re-accommodating all remaining residents in some of our other centres in the coming weeks."