Works under way on Mahon modular homes for Ukrainian refugees

'It is expected the rapid-build homes for families fleeing the war in Ukraine will be installed during January and February 2023 as site enabling works are completed in Mahon,' OPW statement said

A fire broke out on Sunday night at Kill Equestrian Centre, outside Kill in Co Kildare, where it is planned to house Ukrainian refugees. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Site-enabling works are under way to build 64 modular homes to house some 250 Ukrainian refugees near Mahon Point Shopping Centre in Cork in January.

Work at the site will continue over the coming weeks to ready the site for housing units which are currently being fabricated off-site, the Office of Public Works confirmed.

“Sisk [construction company] are on site at Mahon in Cork and will hope to have the rapid homes completed in January 2023,” the Department of Integration said.

“It is expected that the rapid-build homes for families fleeing the war in Ukraine will be installed during January and February 2023 as site-enabling works are completed in Mahon,” a statement from the OPW said.

Once built, the modular homes will be transported and installed on location when the site is ready. Each home is designed to accommodate a family of four people.

A protest was held at Mahon against the construction of the homes to shelter people fleeing war in recent weeks.

On Sunday, a fire was reported at Kill Equestrian Centre in Kildare after a protest was held earlier that day over reported plans to house Ukrainian refugees there.

Gardaí and local fire services responded to the fire in a shed at the rear of the premises shortly after 8pm on Sunday. 

There were no reports of injuries and the fire was quickly brought under control by the fire service. 

The scene was preserved for examination and inquires are ongoing, gardaí said.

The protest held outside the same premises earlier that day had passed off without incident, gardaí said.

The Kildare site had been reportedly earmarked to house hundreds of Ukrainian refugees amid a severe shortage of suitable accommodation.

A public meeting had been held on Friday where local people voiced their concerns about turning what has been called "an agricultural barn" into a temporary emergency accommodation centre.

More than 56,825 people who fled Ukraine have arrived in Ireland to date and more than 14,000 Ukrainian children are attending Irish primary and secondary schools.

From December, Ukrainians are to be offered accommodation only, and those living in hotels will be partly charged for their meals.

A refusals policy has also been introduced, which means refugees who refuse an offer of suitable accommodation will not be offered another option.

The Irish Government also agreed to double the payments for people hosting Ukrainian refugees to €800.

Ministers have repeatedly warned of the challenge of sourcing accommodation amid Ireland's years-long housing crisis, and warned last month that newly arriving refugees may have to sleep on the streets while accommodation is sourced.

The Government had asked its departments to list public buildings that could be modified as emergency accommodation for any newly arriving Ukrainian nationals.

The first contract to deliver 500 modular homes to provide shelter to up to 2,000 people from Ukraine fleeing the Russian invasion are to be completed in early 2023.

The programme aims to provide short=term accommodation to Ukrainians, predominantly women and children at several sites across Ireland.