Scientologists 'from across the world' to flock to south Dublin centre to finish 'massive project'

The centre is to open in a matter of weeks.

The Journal, Ireland/September 9, 2017

By Garreth MacNamee

The new Scientology centre which is to open and train hundreds of converts is just weeks away from opening in south Dublin, TheJournal.ie has learned.

The centre is to be opened as an Ideal Organisation which the Church of Scientology (CoS) say is “configured to provide the full services of the Scientology religion to its parishioners, while also serving the community with social betterment and outreach programmes”.

According to its official website, the organisers are in a “mad fury to get everyone signed up, trained, and posted”. It added that new members are being sent every week for training “and people from all over the world are helping us to get this massive project done”.

The site at Firhouse will become a ‘Class V church’ meaning that those at the facility will have the authority to train and ordain ministers.

Class V churches are much larger than the religion’s missions. According to the official Scientology website “they are hubs for their community of Scientologists”.

There is also a promotional video which the church has released as it prepares to open the centre.

In July of this year, TheJournal.ie broke the news that the CoS was setting up a new 1,300 seater community centre in south Dublin. It has now emerged how the new site will be branded. Billing itself as ‘Ideal Ireland’, the church has claimed that it is close to opening the new centre in a matter of weeks.

The centre will be used to train hundreds of new converts. According to the official site: “New team members are sent for training every week and people from all over the world are helping us to get this massive project done.

The church’s registered company in Ireland, which does not have religious or charitable status, recorded a profit of €48,803 last year. The land in Firhouse is zoned by the council to be used as a place of worship. This means the Church of Scientology would not have to register any other interest with the council before building commenced on the site last year.

Last month, we observed building work continuing on the site. Asked if they could comment on the new owners of the site, the builders said they could not. Sources have told this publication that the centre has the ability to host over 1,200 people for seminars and other church business.

Councillor Brian Lawlor met with us outside the centre and said that he had made representations to the council over the site.

He told TheJournal.ie: “I know for definite that the Scientologists are coming into Firhouse. It’s very disappointing. Not because of who is moving in but it’s a missed opportunity for the community. It’s a remarkable site and it could have easily been transformed into a school. There is a large demand for a new school in this area. We made a number of representations to the Department of Education about this but were knocked back.

“Now the Church of Scientology has it. I have to say it’s a bad move not to have taken advantage of the site. This is very short-sighted.”