Some 400 competitors in this summer's Special Olympics will be accommodated in the State's main reception centre for asylum-seekers in Dublin.
The purpose-built Balseskin centre in north Dublin will house athletic teams during the competitions which begin in the capital on June 21st.
Following an approach from the Special Olympics Committee, the Reception and Integration Agency, which provides accommodation for asylum-seekers, offered the Balseskin site for a period of up to two weeks.
The centre is used to accommodate newly-arrived asylum-seekers for short periods before their dispersal to longer-term accommodation around the State.
All asylum-seekers who would normally be housed in Balseskin will be accommodated elsewhere during the Special Olympics competitions.
The agency has also offered to host Olympic contestants in its Mosney centre for asylum-seekers in Co Meath which was formerly a holiday camp.
Since it became a centre for asylum-seekers three years ago, Mosney has continued to host the annual Community Games.
Meanwhile, High Court challenges against a property and a piece of land bought by the State to provide accommodation for asylum-seekers are due to be determined before the summer, according to an official source.
One of the cases was taken by local residents against proposals to locate a reception centre at Broc House, Nutley Lane, Dublin.
The premises was bought by the Office of Public Works in June 2000 for €9.14 million.
The other challenge was brought against plans to erect system-built accommodation for asylum-seekers on a site in Leggetsrath, Co Kilkenny.
A €2 million licensing agreement was signed in March 2002. This reflects the State's decision to in future lease land to erect prefabricated buildings for asylum-seekers for periods of several years.
The Balseskin centre was erected using these types of buildings, which were sourced in Canada where they housed construction workers. A third state-owned premises, Lynch's Lodge Hotel in Macroom, Co Cork, was bought for €3.7 million in October 2000. It too is subject to a legal challenge under planning legislation.
The Comptroller and Auditor General is due to bring a report on the OPW's purchase of these properties and others to the Public Accounts Committee next September, according to committee chairman, Fine Gael TD Mr John Perry TD.
A Department of Justice spokesman said the two premises and the site would be used to house asylum-seekers if the current legal constraints were lifted. "The bottom line is that judicial reviews are being taken in the courts on these properties and our hands are tied," he added.
The Department anticipates an ongoing demand for asylum-seeker accommodation, particularly as it will later this year assume sole responsibility for housing refugee applicants in its "direct provision" centres.
Currently, some asylum-seekers can live in private sector rental accommodation and claim social welfare payments for rent and living expenses.
Those living in the direct provision system have accommodation, meals and other services provided directly and accordingly receive significantly reduced weekly welfare payments.