Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 September 2022
407. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his response to a request by a group (details supplied) to urgently resource welfare and integration supports available to refugees in line with the increasing needs for these resources. [45121/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 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.
My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here. To date, more than 48,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 37,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State.
Other areas within my Department are also actively supporting arrivals from Ukraine and their integration. The Early Years Division has taken responsibility for a number of actions supporting Ukrainian parents and children, allowing them to access preschool and ensuring children’s wellbeing. These actions have included the development and translation of introductory information on the Irish early learning and care sector. A capacity analysis across the country identified vacant preschool places and work is ongoing to match children to the vacant places and to create additional early childhood care and education (ECCE) places, where possible, in areas of high demand. Information on the access and inclusion model for children with disabilities accessing preschool has been translated into Ukrainian and Russian.
Tusla has also put additional staff into its services around educational welfare too in order to support the work of linking students to school places.
The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant and all Departments and agencies play a role with many of their efforts focused on meeting the welfare needs of those arriving and on their integration into communities. As a country, we have responded well to assist those relocating to Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine, and we will continue to do so working across Government, with agencies, with those in the Local Government sector and with communities. The cross-government response is being led by officials within the Department of an Taoiseach.
