Government to extend Citywest hotel lease for refugees out to May 2025

The Citywest hotel is being used to accommodate asylum seekers. Picture: Colin Keegan

The Government is to extend its lease of the Citywest hotel by another year to accommodate Ukrainians and those seeking asylum from other countries.

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman is to bring a memo to Cabinet, seeking approval to continue renting the facility out to May 2025.

Around 81,000 people who fled the war in Ukraine and a further 8,000 international protection applicants have been accommodated at Citywest since 2022.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin is to seek sign off to increase the number of Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon amid the heightened security threat along the border with Israel.

An extra 33 troops are to join the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) mission in July, to provide increased convoy security and Defence Force members will also carry out protection duties.

It will bring the total number of Irish troops serving in the mission in Lebanon to almost 400.

Ireland acts as lead nation providing the commanding officer and the larger troop and logistics contribution, which is currently around 350 personnel from the 123rd Infantry Battalion, in addition to nine personnel at the mission’s headquarters in Naqoura, and four personnel in Unifil Sector West Headquarters in Shamaa.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin will seek Cabinet approval to expand and extend the mission for another year.

Irish troops are involved in manning two forward observation posts located on the Blue Line, which separates Lebanon and Israel.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin reviews members of the Irish Defences Forces of the 123rd Infantry Battalion prior to their departure for a six-month deployment to Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), in Kilkenny Castle, in 2023. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Enterprise Minister Peter Burke will bring a memo to Cabinet to postpone a referendum on opting into the Unified Patent Court.

The vote had been planned for the same day as the European and local elections in June. However, it will be postponed amid fears there is inadequate time to explain the issue to the public.

Separately, Education Minister Norma Foley is seeking Cabinet approval for the text of the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill — which provides for a package of ongoing supports to survivors of abuse in residential institutions and the dissolution of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (Caranua).

The package includes an enhanced medical card. This is the same package of supports provided to survivors of the Magdalene Laundries, and it is to be provided to former residents of mother and baby and county home institutions.

Survivors living abroad will be able to avail of a payment of €3,000 in lieu of the enhanced medical card.

This is the same approach taken in respect of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is to publish the Women’s Health Action Plan.

The plan includes an expansion of the Free Contraception Scheme from the age of 31 to 35, and will have a focus on women at midlife and older age, giving specific attention to bone health and cardiovascular health.