The Merrion are looking to build accommodation for staff close to the hotel

As rents in the city continue to rise.

The five-star Merrion Hotel in Dublin 2 are looking to build accommodation for employees close to the building, as soaring rents are making it difficult for staff members to live and work in the city. Speaking to the Irish Times, the Merrion's general manager Peter MacCann said they are considering building the accommodation at the rear of a property that it owns on Merrion Square, along with other options.

People on salaries that range from let’s say €13 to €18 an hour, can’t really afford accommodation in the city centre, he said. So they’re forced out to Bettystown [in Meath], Gorey [in Wicklow] and all over the place. Commute times and public transport availability for shift work in a place like this just doesn’t work. We’ve looked at whether we should take a house in Bray and buy a bus and run our own shuttle service. We’ve looked at houses in west Dublin, we’ve looked at houses in Meath. We currently have four staff houses in the city that we are renting that we subsidise. You ask any hotel and we’re all going into the property business because we need to find places for people to stay so they can come to work.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjnaMj9KRNQ/ Mr MacCann also said that 22 members of Merrion staff are using subsidised accommodation in the city at present. Header image via Instagram/merrionhotel READ NEXT: You can now get Buddy the Elf's festive spaghetti in Dublin (but for a limited time)