Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1161. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Government has undertaken an assessment of needs created by the arrival of Ukrainian refugees; and the contingency planning that is in place. [30495/22]
View answerSince the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis.
The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of displaced persons like the one that we have seen over the past months. My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here. To date, more than 34,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 25,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State.
Within my Department, a dedicated Ukraine Response Division has been newly established. The team includes more than 80 staff. The majority of these staff have moved from within the Department with consequent impacts on ongoing work priorities. The Division also includes new staff and those seconded from other Departments and Agencies.
Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types have been contracted, including emergency accommodation. While this is not ideal, the priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.
Numbers seeking international protection have also increased adding to accommodation capacity issues.
Providing accommodation and supports to displaced persons from Ukraine would not be possible without the whole of society response including the contributions from stakeholders, volunteers and the Irish public in general. My Department is in regular contact with all the relevant stakeholders to facilitate the provision of supports and services to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.
This includes the Local Authorities who have stood up the Community Response Forum at local level which brings together organisations, statutory bodies such as Tusla and the HSE, and volunteers at a local level to link services to those that need them. It is within this forum that particular issues relating to needs of displaced persons are raised and brought to the attention of state agencies and voluntary groups who can assist.
Furthermore, my Department has regular engagement with NGOs working in this sector. They have been extremely supportive and my Department is committed to continued cooperation and collaboration in assisting displaced persons fleeing conflict in Ukraine, including elderly persons.
I have had the privilege in recent weeks to travel around the country to speak with representatives of community groups, family resource centres and youth services as well as those who are on the front line of this engagement. In particular, I thank the community groups around the country that have done so much, individually and collectively, to welcome those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine to our country.
