Kerry diocese lists properties it can offer to house Ukrainian refugees
John Mitchels GAA grounds in Tralee, Co Kerry, has been placed on standby as a centre for short-term accommodation. Picture: Domnick Walsh
The Diocese of Kerry is drawing up a list of properties suitable for housing refugees from Ukraine and has already identified a number after approaches by agencies dealing with the issue.
The large diocese, which includes parts of north and West Cork and numbers 53 parishes, owns a substantial amount of properties throughout the region, including large presbyteries and halls. There are also convent and school buildings.
“Both the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Kerry County Council have been in contact with the Property Office of the Diocese of Kerry enquiring about what properties might be available for the purposes of providing accommodation for refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine,” a diocesan spokeswoman said.
“A number of properties have already been identified and these will be assessed as to their suitability by the relevant authorities.”
The John Mitchels GAA sports complex in Tralee has also been placed on standby as a centre for short-term accommodation.
A spokesman for Kerry County Council said agreement had been reached with council management, which is coordinating transport and other services for refugees to use the large sports hall for overnight accommodation “in the event of no hotel beds being available”.
Three hotels and a hostel in Kerry have already closed to guests after they entered agreements with the International Protection Procurement Services arm of the Department of Children.
The contracts are for three meals per day and laundry for six months initially, with options to extend.
The Department of Children has not disclosed how much is being paid per person.
“Contractual matters cannot be divulged due to the commercially sensitive nature of this information,” a spokesman said.
The rates are being agreed on an individual basis depending on the type of accommodation, it is understood.
Kerry, which has among the biggest banks of accommodation outside Dublin, with 50,000 tourist beds is being considered to host a large number of refugees.
However, most hotels and guesthouses have already accepted tourist bookings amid what is predicted to be a bumper year for tourism in Killarney and South Kerry.
Killarney hotelier Bernadette Randles, chair of the Kerry IHF, said it would be impossible for her to offer substantial accommodation until next November and this would be true of other hotels and premises which have large bookings.
Meanwhile, refugees have begun arriving at the Skellig Accommodation Centre in Caherciveen, the former Skellig Star hotel which closed as a direct provision centre in 2020. The property also now has 30 apartments and could potentially could host up to 200 people, locals estimate.
Refugees have also arrived at the 140-bed Earl of Desmond Hotel outside Tralee and both the 72-bed Innisfallen Hotel in Fossa, Killarney, and its sister hostel the 3Lakes Hostel in Killarney town, are also expected to host refugees.
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