Earlier this month, Roscommon councillors signed off on a record budget worth almost €80m for next year.

It will return at the end of January, if repair works on the air ambulance hangar in Athlone are finished.

The case was mentioned in a remote sitting of the High Court this morning before Mr Justice Richard Humphries as part of the Planning and Environment list.

The challenge was brought over claims the Minister failed to adequately screen the project for potential environmental impacts following his signing of an order earlier this year.

Frankie Keena says the use of the site as refugee accommodation would have had wide ranging effects on local development plans.

The proposed height of the hotel has also caused worry among residents about privacy in the nearby dwellings.

He has received two nominations from so-called ‘outside’ bodies, ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

The Department of Integration wants to accommodate the refugees in Lissywollen - initially in tents and later in modular units, with the first group arriving late last week.