The Irish government expects tents to become “the primary source of accommodation” for newly-arriving Ukrainian refugees from next week for “very short-term use.”
According to RTÉ, starting from tomorrow, Ukrainians arriving to Ireland to seek asylum will be kept in the same tents used for last weekend’s Electric Picnic music festival on Stradbally Estate in Co. Laois. The festival itself reportedly has no involvement in the scheme.
A spokesperson for the Department of Integration reportedly said that the use of the site is “for very short-term use,” adding: “The contract is for a six-week period and will have a capacity of 750, which will be used on a phased, contingency basis.”
Reportedly, this new policy is due to a “significant” shortfall in accommodation options.
“The summer months have seen an increase in the number of arrivals from Ukraine, with more than 10,000 people fleeing here since May 1st,” the spokesperson reportedly said.
“While it has been possible to source accommodation from the tourism sector up to now, that sector is at capacity, and very few new offers are being made to the Department.”
Notably, last month Gript reported how according to a report by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, the large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers currently in Irish tourist beds have “exacerbated” a pre-existing industry shortage. The report accused the government of “over-reliance” on the industry for asylum seeker accommodation.
In addition to this, student accommodation that was previously being used to house thousands of migrants and refugees has now been freed up for students returning to college, leaving the Department largely in the lurch. Early last month, under pressure with the approaching academic year, the government implemented a new policy of not using student accommodation for asylum seekers unless it had been vacant for a year.
Student accommodation must be vacant for a year before being repurposed for refugees under new protocol via @IrishTimesPol https://t.co/PI9lJWFB8h
— Irish Times Politics (@IrishTimesPol) August 9, 2023
The Department spokesperson said that as a result some of the migrants and refugees currently housed there “may have to be moved to other very short-term accommodation until more stable accommodation is available.”
“Offers of commercial accommodation…continue to reduce month on month,” they added.
“Due to this significant shortfall, it is expected that, from next week, tented accommodation will be the primary source of accommodation for new arrivals from Ukraine.”
Four days ago, the Ukrainian Embassy in Ireland issued a statement warning Ukrainian citizens about the “housing crisis” in Ireland.
“Dear citizens of Ukraine!” the statement read.
“Reiterating information that the housing crisis for temporarily displaced persons under temporary protection in Ireland continues. Since February 2022, about 91 thousand temporarily displaced Ukrainian citizens have moved from Ukraine to Ireland, of which nearly 70,000 have applied for free housing from the Government of Ireland.
“In the summer months, the number of arrivals from Ukraine increased, some people were placed in student housing, which they are due to vacate in the next few weeks. Due to this significant deficit, it is expected that tents/tents will be used for new-arrival Ukrainians starting next week, including those who have lived the last months in student dorms.
“The Irish government is urgently working to find additional housing. Please take into account and act responsibly.”
According to Eurostat, at the end of June 2023, Ireland had a total of 86,945 Ukrainian asylum seekers present within the State. This contrasts with just 39,190 in Sweden, despite Sweden having a population double the size of Ireland.
Moreover, Portugal, which also has a population double the size of Ireland’s, had taken in just 55,425 asylum seekers at that time.
Gript recently questioned Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien about the quantity of asylum seekers Ireland can afford to take, in a video which can be viewed below.
"We have international obligations": Irish Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien refuses to say whether Ireland can accept another 100,000 asylum seekers, while Minister Paschal Donohoe says "we will find the money" to support asylum seekers despite "challenges."#gript pic.twitter.com/VdrQVMAbdT
— gript (@griptmedia) September 1, 2023