Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
114. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report his Department to further improve the inclusion and integration of Ukrainian refugees across counties Laois and Offaly and other communities around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35386/22]
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 four months. My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here. To date, more than 39,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 29,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State.
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 to aid their integration and inclusion in the communities in which they are accommodated. 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 all beneficiaries of temporary protection to assist with inclusion in the community are raised and brought to the attention of state agencies and voluntary groups who can assist further.
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.
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.
