Aerlingus has for years been putting crews up in hotels in order to service their Cork base. They sometimes ask if people want to move to Cork. In the past the take up hasn't been great and Aerlingus being Aerlingus continued to put crews up in hotels. Apparently people feel they will be marginalised if they move to what is still regarded as an outpost rather than a genuine base.
However I can't explain this latest bizarre decision.