Number of Ukrainians supported in Ireland to exceed 70,000 by the end of the year
Two-year old Lada Samusenka waves her countries flag as the crowd sing the Ukrainian national anthem at a protest rally against the latest attacks by Russia against Ukraine at Grand Parade, Cork, last October. Picture: David Creedon
The number of Ukrainians seeking accommodation in Ireland will exceed 70,000 people before the end of the year, with an additional 11,500 due to arrive here in the next six weeks, according to the Government.
It comes as the State has so far spent €617m in providing accommodation and services to both Ukrainian refugees and those seeking international protection here, new figures show. Ireland is also set to spend in excess of €1bn on the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine in 2023.
Currently, a total of 58,511 Ukrainians are seeking shelter here, but in a statement to the , the Department of Integration said it expects the number of Ukrainians coming to Ireland will exceed 70,000 people by the end of the year.
A county breakdown provided by the department shows there are a number of counties that could “step up” their support of accommodating refugees, TDs claim.
Frustration continues over the pace of housing refugees, and TDs have claimed that poor communication between the department and local authorities is slowing the process.
According to the State’s Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team (UCTAT), €337m has been spent on accommodation and related to services as of November 11, 2022.
The department has said the International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) estimates that the total spend on accommodation in 2022 to date for non-Ukrainians seeking refugee in Ireland is €280m.
A spokesperson for the department said there is no expectation that arrivals will abate as we enter the winter, and “the outlook for the availability of suitable accommodation is extremely challenging”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s programme, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the State cannot “guarantee everyone accommodation, or high-standard accommodation, but we will give people shelter and whatever we have to do we'll make sure that happens."
It is estimated that 34,000 Ukrainians are living in tourist accommodation, including hotels and guesthouses.
As of November 6, there were 7,248 international protection applicants being accommodated in IPAS accommodation centres.
There were also 6,416 international protection applicants being accommodated in hotels.
Cork, Clare, Donegal, Kerry, Dublin, and Galway are the counties accommodating the largest numbers of Ukrainians that have arrived in Ireland, with between 3,000 and 5,000 each.
Counties Cork and Dublin are also providing the majority of accommodation to non-Ukrainians who are seeking international protection.
Longford has the lowest totals, accommodating 215 Ukrainians and 69 asylum seekers.
Kildare also has a low proportion, with only 164 Ukrainians currently living there.
However, the county is providing accommodation to 486 people seeking international protection.
Counties Laois, Longford, and Monaghan fare badly in comparison to most counties and are only housing fewer than 250 Ukrainians each.
TDs across the country have said they are aware of premises being put forward by local authorities to the department, but have yet to see any movement.
Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare-South James Lawless said he is aware of seven sites put forward by Kildare County Council, and has urged Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman to get his department to engage with local authorities.
A Government source has expressed concern regarding the pace at which accommodation is being vetted and secured.
The source said: “It appears that some local authorities are more equipped than others to get moving on sites that have been put forward.
It is understood that while addressing a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting recently, Mr O’Gorman accepted communication wasn't as good as it should be.
A spokesperson for the department said officials are working hard on solutions to shelter people.
It comes as Ukrainians have been told they can contribute to the war effort by leaving the country temporarily, in order to reduce demand on the country’s energy supply.
The head of Ukraine’s biggest private energy firm urged people to find an alternative place to stay for up to four months as Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have left millions of people without power as temperatures plummet for winter.
Government TDs have said they are shocked at the low number of Ukrainians and asylum seekers being accommodated in some counties, as a breakdown reveals where refugees are staying.
The understands that Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys will bring a proposal to a Cabinet committee on Ukraine in mid-December which will outline how the Government will reward communities across the country that have taken in significant proportions of refugees.
A €50m fund is being allocated, and it is likely local authorities will apply for the funding, with applications expected to open in early January.
The distribution of cash will depend on various factors including the size of the population and how many Ukrainians have arrived in the area, but the criteria are still being worked on, a source has said.
Local authorities can use the funding on services such as public transport, parks, and playgrounds.
Despite being the smallest county in Ireland, Louth is accommodating 1,140 Ukrainians and others seeking asylum in comparison to Kildare which is accommodating just 650 — 164 of whom are Ukrainians, according to figures by the Department of Integration.
Fine Gael minister of State and Kildare TD Martin Heydon said he was shocked by the low figure.
He told the : “We all have a role to play, and it's important for every county that we have good geographical balance in terms of every county playing its part in supporting Ukrainian people fleeing from the war.”
He said there are ongoing negotiations and discussions in terms of a list of possibilities to house Ukrainians in the medium term as well as the short term, and engagement continues but it’s important that work progresses.
Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare James Lawless said there appears to be a “mismatch” of co-ordination between Mr O’Gorman’s department and with local authorities in securing premises.
Counties Carlow, Kilkenny, and Roscommon are not providing accommodation for asylum seekers, according to the data provided by the Department of Integration. All three counties are accommodating Ukrainians, however.
Sinn Féin TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Kathleen Funchion, said she is aware of a GAA club in Carlow that has offered its premises to house refugees, but has not heard back from the department despite having two meetings with officials.
Fine Gael TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, John Paul Phelan, said it is not the case Ireland is full and there is still accommodation available that can be provided.
He said he is aware of several cases in which people have pledged their homes and have yet to be vetted.
Mr Heydon also said modular housing should be going on land that has already been earmarked for the building of homes in the Government’s Housing for All plan.
He said it will take a number of years for those houses to be built, and so modular homes or rapid-build housing should be used in the meantime on the land to accommodate refugees as well as people on local authorities’ waiting lists.
Mr O’Gorman recently said the Cabinet would bring forward proposals for increasing the number of modular homes that will be built.
A shortlist of suitable State-owned sites is being prepared by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and the Department of Integration, based on a list of potential sites for rapid build homes that have been put forward by public bodies.
So far, locations in Mahon in Cork, Thurles, Sligo, Cavan Town, and Claremorris have been confirmed by the department.
A second tranche of sites is currently being assessed for suitability, and will be confirmed by the department over the coming weeks, according to the OPW.
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