Ukrainian refugees will stay in 'unsuitable' accommodation for up to a month

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said no Ukrainians arriving here would be turned away despite the massive pressures on sourcing accommodation. Picture: AP/Czarek Sokolowski

The Government has been told Ukrainian refugees will have to languish in “unsuitable” accommodation for up to a month as the capacity to house them properly is about to run out.

Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath said, given the numbers of Ukrainians coming to Ireland, unfortunately, it means that "some of the accommodation that will be provided will be of a lesser standard than what we would like to provide".

"But it is a challenge we will meet."

"Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman and his team in the Department of Children are doing an outstanding job to meet the accommodation needs of people,” he said.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said no Ukrainians arriving here would be turned away despite the massive pressures on sourcing accommodation. "We want to make sure that we don't find ourselves in a situation where we don't have space and accommodation, because they've been very clear we're not going to turn people away," she said.

We’re not going to put a cap on the number of people.

Ms McEntee, who said she was still considering whether she would be able to accommodate refugees in her own home, said the Government remains open to paying people to take in those fleeing Ukraine.

“We’re very aware that there’s an increase in costs in electricity and fuel, even in food prices. So, I think what we’d have to establish is how we would cover those costs.

“I don’t think anybody’s looking to make money out of this. Certainly not. It’s that we would cover those day-to-day costs. That’s something Government has said we’d be open to and it’s something that’s been explored at the moment.”

She agreed that such financial supports might encourage people who have withdrawn offers of accommodation to reconsider.

A detailed plan to deal with the medium and longer-term impacts of the Ukraine war on Ireland will be presented to Cabinet next week.

Ministers were told this week by way of a Cabinet memorandum, seen by the Irish Examiner, that a “full risk assessment across all domains of the government’s response will be presented to Cabinet” at its meeting next Tuesday.

The plan will set out “proposed governance arrangements” to ensure the integration of existing efforts and to avoid duplication of planning. Included in this is a new “cross-government” communications plan on the Ukraine crisis.

Almost 4,000 Ukraine children have been enrolled in Irish schools across the country, the Cabinet has been told.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

The memo also said the combination of rising input prices and supply chain disruption would have a significant implication for key sectors in the Irish economy, and reduce growth prospects in a number of Ireland's major trading partners throughout Europe.

“The immediate channel through which the conflict will have a negative impact on the Irish economy is through inflation. The pass-through effect of soaring energy prices will be reflected in rising costs for businesses and households,” ministers were told.

“Rising costs will undermine the profitability of businesses and reduce the purchasing power of households. With the current uncertainty and geopolitical instability, businesses throughout Europe, including in Ireland, are also likely to postpone investment and households are also likely to accumulate savings as a precautionary measure. All of this reduces the level of economic activity and inhibits growth,” the memorandum stated.