Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
215. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport if he has engaged with Polish authorities regarding Ireland sending buses and airplanes to transport Ukrainian refugees to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14943/22]
View answer216. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport if he has engaged with the bus and airline sectors to provide transport for Ukrainian refugees coming to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14944/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.
While my Department has not had engagement with the Polish authorities on providing transport for Ukrainian refugees to Ireland, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has taken the decision to allow free travel for newly arriving Ukrainian refugees on any Public Service Obligation (PSO) public transport service from port of entry to their end destination. This initiative is being applied across all PSO contracted services (including commercial bus services included in emergency PSO contracts), and those services that are part of the emergency commercial bus operator grant scheme. It will take effect immediately until the end of April 2022, at which point it will be reviewed.
To date, approximately 10,000 refugees from Ukraine have arrived to Ireland on buses and airplanes and there is substantial capacity on air routes from Poland to Ireland at present.A webpage on the whole-of-Government response to the situation is now available at www.gov.ie/ukraine which includes information on supports and services available to people arriving from Ukraine. This webpage will be supplemented and updated on an ongoing basis with the support of the relevant departments, including the Department of Transport. The webpage is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.
A cross departmental team is looking at all of the issues arising in relation to Ireland's response to the humanitarian crisis as residents of Ukraine seek refuge away from the war zone, including the consideration of any further measures that may be needed to assist people fleeing the conflict. However, our immediate priority is to support the hundreds of people already spontaneously arriving in Ireland every day to seek temporary protection.
