Former Midlands hotel is dangerous, derelict and a hazard for children

The once successful, thriving Shannon Oaks Hotel in Portumna has been called “dangerous, derelict and a hazard for children.”
The issue was raised last week in the Dáil and in the Senate. Deputy Louis O'Hara told the Dáil that he was “once again” raising the matter in the Oireachtas because of the seriousness of the situation.
The Deputy asked the Junior Minister at the Department of Housing & Local Government, Kieran O'Donnell, a number of questions.
He pointed out that Galway County Council's position is that the building does not meet the definition of derelict under the Derelict Sites Act because there is hoarding around the site. He asked the Junior Minister if the County Council is making “a correct interpretation?”
He asked the Minister if the Government will put pressure on the owners of the property because of its current state?
He also asked if the government would provide the County Council with the funding to CPO the hotel and return it to a safe condition? (Pictured below is part of the derelict premises of Shannon Oaks as it looks today).

The Junior Minister Kieran O'Donnell, responding to Deputy O'Hara in the Dáil, pointed out that under Section 30 of the Planning and Development Act the Minister is “precluded from acting in a particular case with which a planning authority might be concerned. Also, under Section 63 of the Local Government Act local authorities are independent in the performance of their duties.”
Minister O'Donnell said the government is committed to tackling vacancy and dereliction through CPOs, and derelict site levies (the latter to be replaced by the new Derelict Property Tax). “I will ask the Department for an update from Galway County Council,” he added. (Below is the Shannon Oaks swimming pool as it looks today).

After listening to the Minister's responses, Deputy O'Hara said he was disappointed with them.
“I have raised this matter on several occasions,” remarked the Deputy in a subsequent statement, “and I will continue to pursue this with senior members of Government until they and Galway County Council finally take action to ensure this site is made safe at the very least.”
Shannon Oaks was a very popular hotel, providing an excellent service for the region, until it was badly damaged in an accidental fire in September 2011. The hotel employed 60 people at the time. The fire started in the kitchen area. The premises has been vacant ever since. When the Comer brothers bought it in 2015 there was great hope that a page had been turned but unfortunately nothing has happened since.
Deputy O'Hara points out that the building is now “an eyesore and a safety hazard” and has been left “in a derelict state for 15 years”. He pointed out that there are young children regularly going in and out of the building, using it as a place for playing. “Somebody has to take responsibility for this;” he told the Dáil. “It can't be allowed to continue. The government are well aware of this issue and the impact it is having on the town of Portumna. I cannot stress enough how dangerous it is and the risk of somebody getting hurt or somebody losing their life."
The issue was also raised in the Senate by Senator P.J. Murphy. Senator Murphy visited the Shannon Oaks site during the Christmas period with Councillors Jimmy McClearn and Niamh Madden. He slammed what he called “the continued shameful state of dereliction of the town's only hotel; in spite of years of calls to reopen the hotel by local activists. It is a very unsightly building on the edge of the town. When I visited I was dismayed by the condition that this once beautiful attraction had been let deteriorate into.” (Below: A section of the derelict interior of the hotel).

The local community runs a Facebook page called Shannon Oaks. “Our town has so many reasons to visit," said one local person on the page last week. “All we need is a functioning hotel to enable businesses to be developed and existing businesses to grow.”
Shannon Oaks has been on the Derelict Sites Register since 2023.

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