Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 February 2024
272. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with his Department for the programme refugees from Ukraine, and where the hotels in question simultaneously provide accommodation to tourists in the normal course of their business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9842/24]
View answer274. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with his Department for accommodation for programme refugees from Ukraine where the operation of the hotels in question are exclusively for the use of refugees from Ukraine; if he will provide the details on a county by county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9844/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 274 together.
Ireland’s response to the Ukraine crisis is governed by the EU Temporary Protection Directive (Council Directive 2001/55/EC). The European Commission activated the Directive on 2 March 2022 and on 4 March, the Council unanimously adopted the Decision giving those fleeing war in Ukraine the right to temporary protection. Under the Directive, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) have rights, which include but are not limited to access to suitable accommodation, necessary assistance in terms of social welfare and means of subsistence, if they do not have sufficient resources, as well as for medical care etc.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) is a distinct programme of tailored supports for persons granted refugee status upon acceptance onto the programme. As such it is completely separate from the services provided to persons arriving spontaneously in order to seek international protection (IP) and avail of IPAS accommodation, and those Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) that have arrived since the onset of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
I am taking it that the Deputy is requesting information with regard to BOTP as opposed to Programme Refugees.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy. To date, over 100,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and over 75,000 of those have been referred to this Department seeking accommodation from the State.
With respect to the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with my Department for accommodation for BOTPs where the operation of the hotels in question are exclusively for the use of refugees from Ukraine or where the hotels in question simultaneously provide accommodation to tourists in the normal course of their business, the information is not available in the manner requested by the Deputy.
Information in relation to the number of hotels currently providing accommodation for BOTPs at County level has been extracted from our systems and is outlined in tabular form below. To avoid the risk of disclosure of the location of accommodation of BOTPs the figures for Kildare & Kilkenny; Louth & Monaghan; and Tipperary & Offaly are provided as an aggregate.
I should point out to the Deputy that these figures provide an overview at a point in time and is contingent on a number of factors that are subject to change including accommodation availability, providers in contract at any given time, configurations, transfers resulting from contracts ceasing.
|
County: |
Number of Providers |
|
Carlow |
5 |
|
Cavan |
11 |
|
Clare |
28 |
|
Cork |
32 |
|
Donegal |
29 |
|
Dublin |
54 |
|
Galway |
35 |
|
Kerry |
37 |
|
Kildare & Kilkenny |
8 |
|
Laois |
7 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
|
Limerick |
15 |
|
Longford |
7 |
|
Louth & Monaghan |
5 |
|
Mayo |
19 |
|
Meath |
11 |
|
Roscommon |
6 |
|
Sligo |
10 |
|
Tipperary & Offaly |
7 |
|
Waterford |
10 |
|
Westmeath |
13 |
|
Wexford |
20 |
|
Wicklow |
16 |
|
Total |
385 |
