O'Gorman: 'We can cope' as number of Ukrainian refugees set to surpass 70,000

The number of arrivals from Ukraine is expected to surpass 70,000 before the end of the year. File picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The children's minister is requesting an additional 50 staff to help deal with the Ukrainian refugee crisis but says he is confident his department can cope as the number of arrivals is expected to surpass 70,000 before the end of the year.

Roderic O'Gorman's department is overseeing the Irish response to the housing of displaced Ukrainian people, and he rejected claims that his department is isolated. Speaking in Dublin on Thursday, Mr O'Gorman insisted that there is "close co-operation" with other departments such as housing.

"There is close co-operation between my department and the Department of Housing...demonstrated by the wider financial support that Darragh (O'Brien) has given to local authorities to support community fora around the country, to support the range of other work that local authorities are doing to support the integration of Ukrainians and displaced persons."

Mr O'Gorman said his department had to establish a new division just to deal with Ukraine but that this would need an additional 50 staff.

"We've had to create an entire new division, 100 originally from my department and 50 secondees. And we will need to continue to grow that. In terms of the revised estimates process, I have sought additional person power. There was an issue (in paying some hotels) and we have moved our resources in there and we would hope to have that backlog cleared in the next two weeks."

Asked about the situation in East Wall, the minister said there is "absolutely" a need to keep communities informed on decisions around housing refugees but said Ireland also has a "moral and legal obligation" to house Ukrainians which requires the Government to "act quickly". He said the alternative was to "leave people without homes". 

I think it is also important to say that in Ireland nobody does have a veto in terms of who moves within the neighbourhood or who gets to live within their community.

Mr O'Gorman was speaking as he and Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien launched a new campaign asking the public to offer up vacant homes and buildings for use by refugees. Those interested can use the website OfferAHome.ie to alert their local authority that there is a property available. 

Those who participate in the scheme will receive a State payment of €800 per month tax free. The system will largely replace the Red Cross pledging system. Mr O'Gorman said that system was originally used to handle 100-150 pledges a year but was now being asked to handle more than 20,000 pledges.

"If I was doing it again, I would do it differently," admitted Mr O'Gorman. "We've learned from that process, and this is why we're bringing in the local authorities."

Roderic O'Gorman's department is overseeing the Irish response to the housing of displaced Ukrainian people, and he rejected claims that his department is isolated.

He said the Government will react if it feels the asylum process is being abused but said the system must remain in place for those who need it.

"The international protection process is there for people seeking safety from or fleeing things like persecution, harm and torture, and it's absolutely essential that it remains so."

Mr O'Brien said that the Government has "had learnings" from the nine months since the outbreak of war in Ukraine on how to "streamline" the offers of homes. He said that the Government will "expedite" the refurbishment of publicly owned buildings.