Why a Purpose-Built STA Is Inappropriate for the Old Petrol Station Site
Meath County Council’s plan to build a large Short-Term Accommodation (STA) facility for single adults at the old petrol station on Kentstown Road and Metges Road is not just unsuitable - it risks doing real harm to both the future residents and the local community. In many cases, these adults will have complex needs such as addiction or mental health challenges. This quiet, family-focused neighbourhood is home to many young children and sits far from the essential support services that vulnerable individuals need to recover and reintegrate. Placing an STA here would isolate its residents from the addiction, mental health, and social supports needed, thereby, directly contradicting national best practice and planning guidelines.
Despite the Council’s assurances, the reality is that these facilities are often staffed by undertrained, underpaid workers who cannot provide the specialist care required. As one paramedic explains:
“We get called out to these places all the time. Often when we get there, the place is staffed by people just trying to get through their shift—probably on minimum wage. So when someone gets difficult—usually someone struggling with mental health issues—they call us instead of dealing with it themselves and we bring them to the hospital, but the hospital isn’t set up to help them either, so after a few hours, they’re sent straight back to the shelter.”
The lack of on-site expertise means emergency services are frequently called to manage situations that should be handled by trained professionals. Another paramedic puts it plainly:
“I’m in and out of these centres regularly, and I see the same thing—people dealing with addiction and serious mental health issues. I’ve got young kids myself, and honestly, I wouldn’t want them next or near these places.”
These quotes reflect not prejudice, but a call for better planning, better staffing, and better outcomes—for everyone involved.
This Is Not Just a Planning Issue—It’s a Matter of Safety, Dignity, and Accountability
The Council’s rationale for pursuing a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for this site to develop an STA is not supported by best practice, national guidelines, or a genuine commitment to community welfare. Locating a STA facility here appears to be a box-ticking exercise—a superficial attempt to meet obligations without due regard for the realities on the ground.
This approach disregards the Council’s duty of care to vulnerable individuals who may rely on such a facility, as well as to the families and residents living nearby. Simply placing a shelter in a residential area without access to essential wraparound services—such as mental health, addiction, and social supports—is not just poor planning, it’s shameful. It reflects a failure to engage meaningfully with the needs of those most affected and a lack of respect for the dignity of those the facility is meant to serve.
Better Alternatives Exist
There are more appropriate sites—closer to town centres, existing support services, and away from residential neighbourhoods—that would offer far better outcomes. These locations provide:
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Access to healthcare, employment, and community integration
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Proximity to essential wraparound services, such as mental health, addiction, and social supports
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Enhanced safety through passive surveillance and CCTV
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Reduced disruption to residential communities
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A more dignified and effective environment for vulnerable individuals
Yet, the Council appears to be prioritising commercially focused development for the better-suited sites—those closer to services and away from residential areas—while pushing vulnerable people into isolated, unsupported, and inappropriate settings. This is not responsible governance; it reflects a failure of leadership, planning, and compassion, and a disregard for both community wellbeing and the dignity of those the facility is meant to serve.