Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
1104. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that he will take to ensure that incoming Ukrainian refugees can be accommodated in the homes offered up by the Irish public without delay in order to avoid the use of emergency shelters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19354/22]
View answerMy Department is focused on providing short term accommodation to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Approximately 15,000 people have been placed in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation to date.
IPAS has contracted approximately 5,000 hotel rooms, with additional capacity also being pursued through all suitable means including, hotels, guest houses and B&Bs, religious properties, accommodation operated by voluntary bodies such as Scouting Ireland, and local authority emergency facilities. Given arrival numbers sourcing suitable accommodation continues to be a challenge.
My Department is working very closely with the local authorities, through the County and City Management Association (CCMA) to identify emergency short term options to meet continued demands for accommodation.
The Department understands that a total of 24,036 offers of accommodation have been pledged through the Irish Red Cross portal. Of these pledges, 5,714 are for independent units and 18,322 are for shared accommodation. Work is on-going involving a number of stakeholders to draw down these pledges.
Overseen by the Irish Red Cross, assisted by the Defence Forces and others, over 1,200 calls are now being made each day to those who have pledged. The Irish Red Cross has stated that all those who pledged assumed vacant accommodation will be called by the end of this week with calls to others being completed by the end of next week. Contacting parties by phone can involve repeated calls. The Department has provided increased supports to the Irish Red Cross to assist them with the overall process.
Once lists of suitable properties are received by the Department they are forwarded without delay to those assisting with placements. These include the Local Authorities and others. Progress is being made on placements.
Placing those in need in shared accommodation is a process that takes time due to the vetting process involved.
