Leo Varadkar: 40% of people in emergency accommodation are not Irish citizens

The Taoiseach said it was factually incorrect for people to say the Government was doing more to house refugees than Irish citizens

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman has indicated the first tranche of modular homes for Ukrainians is delayed again until early May.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said almost 40% of people in emergency accommodation or homeless are not Irish citizens.

Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings, Mr Varadkar also said it was factually incorrect for people to say the Government is doing more to house refugees than Irish citizens.

“What we're doing for Ukrainians and what we're doing for people who have international protection is probably less than what we're doing for people who are registered as homeless,” he said.

“You know, unfortunately, there are people seeking international protection who are not able to offer accommodation at all to at the moment.

“And when it comes to Ukrainians, by and large, what we're doing is accommodating them in hotels and B&Bs. It's not great, but it's the best we can do.

“But the idea that somehow we're doing more for, you know, people from abroad than we are for our own citizens, that just isn't factually correct.” 

Modular homes

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman has indicated the first tranche of modular homes for Ukrainians is delayed again until early May.

The department first expected hundreds of Ukrainians to move into the rapid build homes in November last year but this was delayed until March, then April and now Mr O’Gorman said it could be early in May.

He confirmed to the Irish Examiner that five “significant” hotels accommodating people seeking international protection will end their contracts this month and in April, resulting in 1,600 refugees having to be moved elsewhere.

He said he could not say right now where refugees would be moved to yet and Government has to be “upfront about the realities of the pressure”. 

“I think it is fair to say that people may have to move and that obviously has impacts, particularly for families that they may not be able to secure accommodation in the immediate area of where they are currently living,” he said.

“That causes problems for everyone, particularly for families, but we just have to be upfront about the realities of the pressures.” 

Mr O’Gorman said modular housing was under construction on five sites, with a site in Cork with units in place.

He said he thought “towards the end of April, early May” Ukrainians would be moved into the homes.

Mr Varadkar said modular housing would also be used to accommodate people who are homeless and are on the social housing list.

He said there needed to be a “reality check” around modern methods of construction such as modular units and it was only part of the solution. He said they cannot be put in place in a matter of weeks or months.