Minister cannot rule out Ukrainian refugees having to sleep on the streets

Ireland’s Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has said he cannot guarantee that some Ukrainian refugees will not have to sleep on the streets.

He was speaking after his department said on Thursday night that the Citywest transit centre had reached capacity amid a severe constraint on suitable accommodation.

“What we are making clear is we’re not in a position to guarantee everyone an offer of accommodation,” he said on RTE’s Morning Ireland programme.

“So what we will do is we will prioritise vulnerable people, we will prioritise women and children in terms of the provision of accommodation.”

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When asked whether there was a danger that people would have to sleep on the streets, Mr O’Gorman said: “I can’t rule that out.

“That’s why we’re speaking very clearly today and engaging with the Ukrainian embassy in terms of letting people know that there is a major constraint on capacity, particularly next week.

“That’s why we’re letting people know that if they have an option – if they’re in another EU member state – to either stay there or look to other EU member states, that we can’t guarantee State-provided accommodation into next week.”

He said that from Monday there will be an overnight facility in Dublin Airport where refugees would stay if arriving into Ireland on a late flight before being transferred to Citywest the next day.

The Government warned in July that it was facing a “severe shortage” of accommodation for arriving Ukrainians, which resulted in asylum seekers having to stay in a Dublin Airport terminal overnight.

Ukrainian refugees were temporarily living in tents at the Gormanston military camp in Co Meath as other accommodation was sourced.

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“Gormanston doesn’t remain open any more,” Mr O’Gorman said on Friday. “There are currently 300 people in tented accommodation across the country of the 50,000 that we’re accommodating.

“So there is a small number of people in tented accommodation, but it is a small proportion – about half a percent – of the overall number.”

Ireland is now accommodating more than 58,000 refugees or asylum seekers – around 42,000 Ukrainian nationals and 16,000 international protection applicants.

This figure compares with 7,250 at the same time last year.

The Department warned last night that “access to suitable accommodation is severely constrained”, and said that it had briefed the Ukrainian embassy on developments.

Mr O’Gorman said he had been speaking to his Scottish counterpart Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, Neil Gray, on Thursday about the continued invasion of Ukraine.

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“I think we all, and most European countries, understand that there will be a significant number of Ukrainian citizens living with us into the medium term.”

The government is also considering whether to charge rent to refugees who have been granted full status and who are working full time, if they are still staying in direct provision centres.

The Ukraine Civil Society Forum (UCSF) expressed “grave concern” over Mr O’Gorman’s admission that some Ukrainian refugees could have to sleep on the streets.

The forum, which represents 60 Irish NGOs active in supporting Ireland’s emergency response to Ukrainian refugees, said this runs the “very real risk” that new arrivals will be left homeless.

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UCSF national co-ordinator Emma Lane-Spollen said: “The Government has finally recognised the severe capacity issues at the Citywest Transit Centre that have led to significant overcrowding and safety issues.”

She said that on Thursday there were 1,050 people in the facility, which is designed for 300, sleeping on chairs and on the floor including pregnant women, young children and the elderly.

Ms Lane-Spollen said: “The UCSF is deeply worried that a tragedy, like the death of a baby in an overflow centre in the Netherlands which sparked questions about the conditions in the centre and availability of medical care, could occur here,”

She said people arriving in Ireland from Ukraine may have “nowhere to go”.

“The Government informs us that this situation may last 10 days,” she said.

“For now we are told women and children will be accommodated but for how long can they do this with the current approach?

“This crisis is not going to ease up. The war in Ukraine is not abating, winter is coming and 30% of Ukraine is without electricity. The increase in arrivals is not unexpected.

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“What is worrying is that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability and Youth had raised this likely scenario with the Senior Officials Group weeks ago, and yet here we are.”

The forum has called on the Government to make some “urgent big decisions” and change its approach from crisis management to medium-long term planning, “or else face having to say there is ‘no room at the inn’ for new arrivals in the run-up to Christmas”.