'This is inhumane': Cork school principal devastated by decision to evict Ukrainian pupils
Principal Eoghan O'Neill with pupils Dana Halytska, Darynn Halytyska, Viktoria Potiuk, Alisa Rylushkina and Nadiia Melnyk, who are part of the Ukrainian group of refugees who have been told to evict from Rebarn on February 7. Pictures: Howard Crowdy
A heartbroken school principal has vowed to keep fighting for his Ukrainian pupils as they face imminent removal from their home at the Quality Hotel in Youghal.
Many parents were moved to tears as they gathered at Bunscoil Mhuire, Youghal, after receiving notifications of proposed evictions from the Department of Integration.
It is understood several hundred Ukrainian refugees are impacted.
School principal Eoghan Rua O'Neill said he feared many of the 50 Ukrainian pupils in Bunscoil Mhuire will be “scattered across the country".
He described the treatment of Ukrainian families by the department as both “inhumane” and “unacceptable.”
The letter from the department, which was seen by the , was unsigned and undated.
It said residents would have to leave their current accommodation by February 7 of this year, giving them just weeks to source new schools, employment, and GP services.
“The department is consolidating its accommodation portfolio in line with the changing circumstances, which includes fewer people arriving from Ukraine and an increase in the number leaving State-funded accommodation,” the letter reads.
Residents were also informed they will have to leave their beloved pets behind.
“We regret to inform you that the department can no longer provide any accommodation for pets. If you own a pet, you will have to make appropriate arrangements for it.”
Mr O'Neill’s outrage was palpable as he addressed parents whose children’s futures now hang in the balance.
“This is not the way we deal with people in Ireland,” he said.
“It is inhumane and it is not acceptable. If they told us tomorrow morning that they were closing down the centre then I would get my head around this but all they are doing is bringing in more people.
"This means we will be back to square one and asked to take in new children.
"Meanwhile, your children will be scattered all over the country and expected to go to a new school, halfway through the school year.
"I also find it suspicious that this letter has been issued when there is no bona fide government in place in Ireland as they are negotiating a new government."
He also addressed the children at the school, saying: “We are very proud of you and we will do everything to fight this.”
The principal said the school was now at risk of losing staff due to the decision.
“The knock-on effect will be to staffing in the school. We will lose approximately 2.5 SNAs and more than likely one full-time teacher.
"The SNAs are employed for Ukrainian children but they are also used by Irish children. This won’t just affect Ukrainian pupils. It will impact the fabric of our whole school.
"Losing SNAs will affect the most vulnerable children in the school. Not only is this very serious for the parents impacted, It will also have a huge knock on effect for the school and our staffing.”
He paid further tribute to the Ukrainian children.
“The children have made huge progress in our school. They are no longer seen as the Ukrainian pupils. They are Bunscoil Mhuire pupils.”
Ukrainian mother Iryna Deneka said relocating would have a profound impact on her son, Andrii, who is in fifth class at another school in the locality.
“My youngest son is 11 and he had a problem last year after he lost his hair,” the mother of four said.
“Doctors say they think he has alopecia and because of this, he has no eyebrows and eyelashes. Last year, he suffered from a little bullying and the teachers immediately solved this problem.
"He has a good class and a good teacher so any change would not be good for him. I’m afraid that we will have a problem with bullying again and the teachers in his new school won’t know how to deal with it.
"I try to keep him as close to his family as possible. I get nervous about what people might say to him because he is different.”
She spoke of the adversity her son faced after fleeing to Ireland.
“We were under attack before we came here. He has some mental issues because of the war, such as a huge fear of loud noises.”
Fiona Corcoran, from the Greater Chernobyl Cause, which has been helping families, comforted parents.
“I am appalled and disgusted,” she said.
“This situation is an affront to humanity. These woman and children have left their occupied land, escaped war, and left behind husbands and fathers fighting for the freedom of their country.
"The psychological effect of the war is detrimental. The children have settled in at their schools, made new friends and adapted to their new lives in Ireland. Uprooting the mothers and children will be terrible.
Meanwhile, a second year student at the nearby secondary school, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, described his shock at the letter.
“I was pretty nervous and confused,” the 15-year-old said.
“I have good teachers and friends. Now, I am nervous about losing all those people.
"They are very important to me. It is very stressful having to leave your own country. I am always worrying about having to leave my home, so I was hoping we had found a place where we could stay for a long time. Coming from the war was unexpected. I would like to have a normal life.”
The Department of Integration confirmed the Quality Hotel was to switch from housing Ukrainian refugees to housing asylum seekers from other countries.
It said there was an increasing need to provide accommodation for international protection applicants, as there were more than 3,000 people without an offer of accommodation in 2024.
"The provider at this site has expressed an interest in providing accommodation for international protection following the end of the Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection contract [for the Ukrainian refugees].”
The department statement added: “In the next weeks, the department will visit the centre and offer follow-on accommodation elsewhere to those that need it, and every effort will be made to keep them as close to their current location as possible.
"However, given the significant number of moves planned, this may not always be possible.
The department said State-funded accommodation had always been subject to change.
“We appreciate that this is not easy for people and that moving location can be very disruptive, but at all times we were clear that State-funded accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection is temporary and subject to change.
"We need to provide the best we can for all those who come to Ireland fleeing the war in Ukraine and other areas of war or oppression, while balancing this with the requirement to make best possible use of State funds," the statement said.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
