75 housing contracts for Ukrainians cancelled over safety concerns and overcharging

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman said that, in many cases, issues are rectified by the accommodation provider. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

Some 75 State contracts for accommodation for Ukrainian refugees have been terminated by the Government in the last year due to safety concerns and overcharging by the provider.

New data from the Department of Integration shows that their internal compliance team has investigated 278 providers, such as hotels and B&Bs, since last July.

The termination of contracts by the department led to the movement of 4,100 Ukrainian refugees out of their accommodation.

A further 75 providers, for which there were also compliance concerns, have since addressed the issues, according to the department.

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman, in a parliamentary question response to Green Party TD Patrick Costello, said that, in many cases, issues are rectified by the accommodation provider.

“Issues range from minor property concerns to complaints regarding food quality, and also those which cannot be regularised and relate to more serious matters, such as overcharging, the use of secondary properties, health and safety, and other concerns,” said Mr O’Gorman.

“It is the latter group that are prioritised for termination.”

The cancellation of contracts comes as the total cost of accommodating Ukrainian refugees last year hit €1.49bn.

In total, across the last year, the Government ended 101 contracts for Ukrainian accommodation — which includes those cancelled due to compliance concerns.

John Lannon, chief executive of migrant rights organisation Doras, welcomed that compliance teams are working to ensure safety for Ukrainian refugees.

“As a result of that, there are places closing down for very good reasons,” he said.

“Breaches of fire regulations, for example. There are also places in breach of their contracts as well. They might have a second location people are in or something like that.”

Mr Lannon said that contracts with providers in breach of their obligations “cannot be allowed to continue”, but he also highlighted the impact on the 4,000 people forced to move.

“We have to bear in mind the impact that this has on people living in a community for some time,” said Mr Lannon.

“It means they’re uprooted and sent to another part of the country.”

He said the department usually gives four weeks’ notice to residents that they will be moved, but the notice of exactly where they will be sent can often come just 48 hours before the move.

Mr Costello said it was positive to see “meaningful” inspections take place at refugee accommodation, saying that the State should be providing a reasonable standard to those arriving.