Ukrainian mother and disabled son, 44, at risk of homelessness

Iryna Pryziuk and her son Andrii sent in a form applying for new State accommodation, but a mix-up meant they are being refused an offer.

A Ukrainian mother and her 44-year-old disabled son are at risk of being made homeless as hundreds of Ukrainians are due to be moved from State accommodation at Citywest in Dublin.

Dozens of disabled people are among more than 300 Ukrainians who are being moved from the temporary accommodation hub to locations outside the capital.

The Government announced earlier this year that it was phasing out State provision of accommodation for Ukrainians.

Residents at the Citywest complex said they were notified in late June that they would be moved and would need to apply to be offered alternative State accommodation by July 17.

Concerns have been raised regarding a number of issues, including a narrow window for applications, moving further away from hospitals and specialised resources, and the lack of room for error in applying for new accommodation. 

This is particularly acute among a vulnerable cohort of people, some of whom are blind, use a wheelchair, or have complex healthcare needs.

Iryna Pryziuk and her son Andrii, who are forced to share a bed in Citywest, said they sent in a form applying for new State accommodation, outlining her and her son’s conditions. 

They said a mix-up in their application meant they are being refused an offer of alternative accommodation by the Department of Justice.

A medical letter states that Andrii, a father of two, suffers from toxic encephalomyelopathy, a neurological condition caused by toxic damage to the brain and nervous system, and spastic tetraplegia, which affects movement in all four limbs, after suffering acute poisoning in 2006.

He suffers from chronic pain, hepatitis B and C, and is on daily medication.

His mother has Type 2 diabetes, has had surgery on her leg and knee, and is blind in one eye.

Iryna’s only other son has been a soldier in the Ukrainian army since 2015, a year after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine through the annexation of Crimea.

“I am very stressed and very nervous about this situation,” Ms Pryziuk told the Irish Examiner, speaking through an interpreter.

I cannot sleep, I have medication to help me sleep and reduce the stress.

“My son is also on medication because of the huge stress and he has spasms in his body which are painful.” 

Councillor Joanna Tuffy, who has been liaising with the group, said the department should show greater flexibility towards what she described as a vulnerable cohort that had been "abandoned by the system".

She argued that the application process had not been fair to residents, saying those who submitted applications late or made mistakes were unable to appeal and were simply informed they were no longer eligible.

“That’s very unusual, in most government services they allow for a late application if you have good reasons,” said Ms Tuffy.

 She also criticised aspects of the communication process, including letters being pushed under doors without names or addresses attached.

 The Irish Red Cross said it was involved in supporting Ukrainians’ understanding of the Government’s changes to state provided accommodation.

“We welcome the maintenance of State-provided accommodation for those most vulnerable and for people who are experiencing barriers to independence," it said in a statement.  

“With the winddown of state accommodation, consideration must be given to the lack of alternative housing options available to Ukrainians as they are not entitled to the Housing Assistance Payment or State homeless accommodation services.  

“We encourage the broadening of the scope of vulnerabilities to include people who are experiencing homelessness.” 

The Department of Justice was contacted for comment.