Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 April 2023
105. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what compensation is being paid to an entity (details supplied) for the provision of accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17616/23]
View answerIreland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge from the invasion of Ukraine, including 80,000 people, of which over 59,000 have sought State-funded accommodation.
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, my Department has contracted in excess of 47,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. Local Authorities are key partners in several elements of our work, and I take this opportunity to express my appreciation and thanks to them.
My Department has paid a total of €870,087.95 to Mayo County Council to date, for provision of emergency accommodation and related expenses in respect of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection for the period August to October 2022.
