Ukrainians in Limerick facing removal from homes and told to leave beloved pets behind

Anastasiia Lapko with her cat Martin at Westbourne Student Accommodation Complex in Limerick City where 54 Ukrainian people have received a letter stating they have to move accommodation. Picture: Brian Arthur

More than 50 Ukrainian refugees living in student accommodation in Limerick have been told they will be moved with 48 hours’ notice — and won’t be able to bring their pets.

The 54 people living in Westbourne Student Accommodation received copies of a letter sent to the manager of their accommodation by the Department of Integration, stating that they will be moved before March 17.

The letter states that as soon as arrangements are being finalised, they will receive another letter within days with details of their new accommodation and should be prepared to leave at short notice.

The group of refugees were told the Department cannot respond to requests for accommodation of a certain type or location “due to the challenges we are facing in Ireland as a result of the very significant numbers of people who have come to Ireland seeking temporary protection and accommodation”.

Some of the 54 Ukrainian people who have received a letter stating they have to move accommodation.

Most of them have been living in student accommodation since 2022, with some having flown from Ukraine with their beloved pets.

The group have appealed the decision and asked to stay until June so they can seek new accommodation in Limerick, but have not yet heard back from the Department.

'We got letters without signatures'

Anastasiia Lapko, 29, has been living in Limerick for two years with her cat, Martin. She studies in the Limerick College of Further Education.

“Six days ago we got letters without signatures, without date, without proper information on where we have to move. We'll get the second letter and after this, we have only 48 hours to move,” she said.

“A lot of people found jobs and are studying. We have six school boys and girls, seven pensioners, and we have disabled people, old people, and a newborn baby, it’s complex.

"A lot of people found jobs and are studying. We have 18 pets, but they said that in new accommodation, there is no opportunity to keep pets.” 

According to Ms Lapko, the group hasn’t been given time to look for something under the Accommodation Recognition Programme (ARP) and would be happy to rent their current accommodation.

“People are in shock because they spend a lot of time to find a job or to make a plan of how to integrate here and the government can move us anywhere in Ireland.

“We understand Ireland wants to help Ukrainians and we are very appreciative and sometimes it's a mess. Sometimes we understand that there isn’t any choice, but lately, the department started to put pressure. When I read this letter, I think probably they want us to just move back to Ukraine,” she said.

The young woman said a lot of Ukrainian refugees have nowhere to go back to.

“People here, they would like to stay. We have been here already two years and things in Ukraine are not getting better, they are getting worse. We have a lot of people who don't have a place to go back to, or who don't want to go to Ukraine during the war with kids.” 

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

According to local councillor Elisa O’Donovan, the group has found a community in Limerick.

“A few of the residents in that area contacted me, they’ve obviously been their neighbours for the last two years, they get to know each other," Ms O’Donovan said.

"All of them are working or studying locally, they are part of our community now. The tone of that letter, I've never seen anything like it. There's a cruelty in saying, ‘You're going to have to give your pet up now, we can send you anywhere’. Where is the humanity? We're a very welcoming city, people have made lives here now, and we want them to stay and be happy.”