Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive immediately afterwards, over 50,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Ukraine and have sought refuge here in Ireland. Almost 37,000 of those are being provided with accommodation from the State.
My Department and the Office of Public Works (OPW) are actively engaged with a range of government departments and agencies as an integral part of a whole of Government response to supporting new arrivals to the State. The Government has approved the development of up to 500 units of modular accommodation in different configurations over two phases. Final configuration of sites will be informed by further site evaluation and engagement. Both phases of the project are expected to be delivered by the Spring of 2023.
Briefings have been provided to Oireachtas members on the sites that will be advanced in the first phase of the project, as part of an ongoing process. The CEOs of the relevant local authorities have also been briefed. Elected members of Local Authorities in relevant local authority areas have been contacted and have received background information, also as part of an ongoing process, by various Departmental officials.
