Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
665. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the procedures for those who wish to sell property to the State, the HSE or local authorities in order to house Ukrainians fleeing the war with Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20510/22]
View answerThe Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for meeting the immediate and short-term accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. As part of a whole-of-government response, DCEDIY, in close cooperation with local government, is securing accommodation for arrivals through:
- hotels, guest houses and B and Bs;
- accommodation pledged by the general public, which is being assessed for suitability;
- State-owned or private properties, which may be suitable for short-term accommodation;
- religious properties; and
- local authority community facilities.
In this context, offers of vacant accommodations which are suitable for almost immediate occupation may be directed to DCEDIY.
In the meantime, a coordinated, whole-of-Government effort is being marshalled to identify and develop potential medium and longer-term sources of accommodation and housing for displaced Ukrainians. A cross-sectoral Humanitarian Crisis Housing Taskforce, chaired by my Department, has been established by Government for this purpose.
As part of this work, my Department has requested central and local government to identify and inventory public or private owned vacant buildings and properties that may be used or configured for multi-occupancy accommodation in the medium to long-term term, as well as sites and land that may be suitable for developing temporary or permanent accommodation or housing.
Local authorities and Government Departments are continuing to return data on foot of these requests. My Department will work through these in due course and, with a primary focus on public owned or controlled buildings and land, incorporate them into its considerations of the development of medium and longer-term accommodation and housing solutions.
If recourse to privately owned buildings is needed following this process, the Housing Taskforce will engage with the market as appropriate. In the meantime, my Department is not seeking offers of property for sale.
