Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland could be housed in tents from next week as the government calls a “significant” housing shortage, reports RTE.
The housing minister said the new arrivals posed a challenge to housing but the government was working to close the gaps.
Darragh O’Brien said Ireland had managed to provide housing for almost 100,000 people since the start of the war in Ukraine.
His comments came after the Absorption Ministry warned that tents may have to be used for new arrivals from next week due to a lack of accommodation.
In a statement, the ministry said the number of people fleeing the war in Ukraine increased during the summer months.
Since May 1, more than 10,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland, an average of about 650 people per week.
The ministry said that while 7,000 additional beds had been secured, “there remains a significant shortfall in accommodation for those fleeing Ukraine for the coming weeks. Due to this significant shortfall, it is expected that from next week, tented accommodation will be used for new arrivals from Ukraine”, reports RTE.
According to the Irish Refugee Council, as of August 27, 256 international refugee seekers from countries other than Ukraine were in tents at three locations in Ireland.
Emma Lane-Spollen, national coordinator of Ukrainian civil society, said it was unacceptable that tents could be used to house Ukrainian refugees.
She said the ministry’s assessment was “symptomatic of the failure of the Government to develop a whole of Government response to this crisis.”
Lane-Spollen said the tents were not suitable, particularly for women and children who now need to start school, because “it’s not a safe or secure space”, reports RTE.
“We’re going into winter, the Government has form in saying that something is temporary and it doesn’t end up being temporary. So I’m deeply worried by this development,” reports RTE.
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