Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1373. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the support schemes that are in place for the provision of accommodation and full board for Ukrainian refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40766/22]
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 42,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 31,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State. The number of people seeking international protection has also increased adding to accommodation capacity issues.
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.
At present, over 400 contracts are currently in place across the country to meet these temporary accommodation needs. This represents over 25,000 beds in hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs, hostels, self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings, with additional capacity also being pursued through accommodation pledged by the general public, state-owned or private properties which may be suitable for short-term accommodation, accommodation belonging to voluntary bodies, religious order properties and Local Authority facilities.
