Sourcing accommodation for Ukrainians 'a challenge' as new arrivals to stay in tents

Darragh O'Brien: “We have obligations morally as a people and the vast majority of our citizens in Ireland support the approach we are taking. It’s not without its difficulties from time to time.” Photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has said the search for accommodation for Ukrainian refugees “continues to be a challenge” as new arrivals are due to stay in tented accommodation in the coming days.

It comes as the Department of Integration confirmed that due to a "significant" shortfall in accommodation, tents will be used for new arrivals in the coming days. Speaking on Friday, Mr O’Brien said all Government departments are working together on the issue.

“Our preference is obviously that people are not in tents, but earlier on this year we did have a situation where other accommodation was provided on a very temporary basis whilst more permanent accommodation was provided and we’ll continue to do that,” he said.

Mr O’Brien said the State has managed to accommodate almost 100,000 Ukrainians and asylum seekers fleeing persecution, which “hasn’t been without its challenges”.

“I think by any fair assessment, we have done well and we need to continue to further ramp up our refurbishment program which we’re doing and we’re targeting an additional 1,500 spaces to be delivered this year.

“We have obligations morally as a people and the vast majority of our citizens in Ireland support the approach we are taking. It’s not without its difficulties from time to time,” he said.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said Ukrainians are leaving circumstances “beyond our imagination”.

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“We will find the money and we will find a way of supporting them as we have done. It is demanding, it is difficult, we’re all aware of the challenges that are there, with the demands that are here in Ireland already for accommodation and already for housing, to meet the needs of those who are coming to our country,” he said.

Mr Donohoe said the effort to secure accommodation for newly arriving Ukrainians will not overtake the Government’s desire to build more student accommodation.

Student accommodation has been used to plug the gap over the summer months with the Government now scrambling to source alternatives as students return.

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

Officials are examining sites where tents can be set up, similar to the Gormanston Camp in Meath that was used last year. Up to 2,000 Ukrainian refugees could be left without accommodation in the weeks ahead.