Leo Varadkar and partner offer to take in refugees from Ukraine

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett have registered a spare room in their home with the Irish Red Cross.

Leo Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett have registered with the Irish Red Cross offering to take in refugees from Ukraine.

The Tánaiste said on Saturday accommodation will be “the biggest challenge” facing the state with talks ongoing now with the Army about Gomanstown Camp.

“Accommodation is going to be the biggest challenge, that is fair to say,” he said, speaking at Dublin Airport on his return on Columbia.

“At the moment we are relying very much on hotels and B&B accommodation around the country, but if we are at 10,000 now, we are likely to be at 20,000 by the end of the month. This is more likely to continue than slow down.” 

He said his partner registered their house about three weeks ago with the Red Cross offering the spare bedroom for at least six months.

We got the acknowledgment, and what they are prioritising now is people who can provide a vacant property, own-door accommodation. That is going to be the priority for the Red Cross and the Refugee Council.

“What they will do then is move onto people who can provide a room and are linked to public transport. We are in Category 2 in that regard.” 

He urged the 20,000 people who have similarly registered to be patient as the system works through the offers.

Group accommodation options are also being considered.

“We are certainly talking to the Army about Gormanstown,” he said, referring to the Army camp in Co Meath.

The Arena in Millstreet, Co Cork, is a possible destination for refugees from Ukraine. File Picture Dan Linehan

The Government is also talking with Millstreet Arena in Co Cork. He described these options as "not ideal" but said: “that’s the best we can do for now until we activate other mechanisms.” 

So far, Dublin Airport has received the majority of the refugees at 7,841 compared with 1,268 in other airports including Cork and Shannon.

A reception hub is now open in Cork city, and one will open in Limerick this week, he said. Staff from the departments of social protection, children and justice assist people with paperwork and supplies.

Mr Varadkar also said he was in touch on Friday with Taoiseach Micheál Martin who is suffering with Covid-19 in Washington.

“He is in good spirits, in good form. He is working from Washington, we are in a very different world to two or three years ago, and he has been able to carry out almost all of his duties remotely,” he said.

“Where he can’t, I will fill in for him or another minister will. He is still hoping it will be possible he can make it to Brussels for the EU Council.” 

The European Council meets in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

Mr Varadkar will be Taoiseach next year under the terms of an agreement between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.

Asked if he would consider letting Mr Martin go in his place to the White House, he said: “I think it is very possible there will be a White House visit before then, it is possible there will be a further White House visit later this year, and it is possible President Biden will come to Ireland.” 

The Tánaiste also said the Government is monitoring changes in fuel prices in Ireland, and he has had discussions about the prices of certain flights into Ireland from Eastern Europe.

He would not be drawn into saying whether Ryanair has been a specific focus of these discussions or not.