Newly arriving Ukrainian refugees to be put in tents from next week

Minister for Housing: “So far, we’ve been able to meet that challenge [refugee accommodation] and that doesn’t mean that it’s easy, that we don’t have difficulties from time-to-time." Photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

The Housing Minister has admitted there are "challenges" in housing refugees from Ukraine, with the State set to run out of beds for new arrivals before the end of August. 

Darragh O'Brien's comments come as the Department of Integration has confirmed that due to a "significant" shortfall in accommodation "it is expected that, from next week, tented accommodation will be used for new arrivals from Ukraine".

Officials are examining sites where tents can be set up, similar to when the Gormanston Camp, Co Meath was used last year.

There could be up to 2,000 Ukrainian refugees left without accommodation in the weeks ahead, with the Government now facing pressure to find additional space for those fleeing the ongoing war. 

Speaking in Dublin on Thursday, Mr O’Brien said there was cross-departmental engagement on a daily basis.

Asked by reporters if he believed Ukrainian refugees would be forced to sleep rough, Mr O’Brien did not respond directly but admitted the Government has “difficulties from time-to-time” in securing accommodation for refugees.

“So far, we’ve been able to meet that challenge [refugee accommodation] and that doesn’t mean that it’s easy, that we don’t have difficulties from time to time, but the Government is focused and working together in relation to ensuring that we’re providing the accommodation that is required and that is needed,”

Meanwhile, a former convalescent home in the Cork City suburb of Montenotte is set for an intake of 130 Ukrainian refugees in the coming days.

Clifton Convalescent Home, in the grounds of what was the Good Shepherd Convent, has been undergoing renovation since it sold earlier this year for €2.15m. Ownership is linked to Shane Keogh of specialist student accommodation provider Scholarlee. Mr Keogh is also a director at Denis O’Brien Developments (Cork) Ltd (previously O’Brien & O’Flynn).

In response to queries from the Irish Examiner, the Department of Integration said it was “working closely with Cork City Council on this offer of accommodation and hopes to have residents in... in the coming days”.

It said the accommodation "will have approximately 130 beds" and will "house those who are fleeing the conflict in Ukraine".

The department also confirmed that a contract is in place vis-a-vis nearby Hyde Park House, an historic period home in Montenotte with links to Ireland’s first president, Douglas Hyde. Ukrainians started arriving there last May, and it’s currently home to 53 refugees.

The Department of Integration has said it spent recent weeks “exhausting all options within our control” including contacting properties used in the past as emergency shelter such as Croke Park, UCD, and the Aviva Stadium.

The contracted Montenotte properties are landmark buildings in the Cork City area.

Hyde Park House, on 2.5 acres of landscaped ground, dates back over 200 years. It has links to prominent Cork business families, such as the Goldies and the Gouldings (fertiliser). Next door is 30,000 sq ft Clifton Convalescent Home, on 3.5 acres, behind Clifton House, a period home associated with the Murphy family of brewers in Cork in the 1800s.

To date, 92,021 temporary protection orders have been granted to Ukrainian refugees. Of these, 69,480 have sought accommodation from the State.