One of Ireland’s main asylum treatment centres will be closed to new arrivals for four days over the Christmas period and the government has appealed to Ukrainian refugees not to travel to Ireland over the Christmas period.
In a statement, the Department for Integration said the Citywest transit hub would close between Christmas Eve and December 27 for those already there.
The government has asked the Ukrainian embassy to send a message to those in Ukraine who are considering coming to Ireland that if they are in a safe place, stay there for the moment and not after for the next two weeks should travel to Ireland.
The department also said it expects that obtaining additional housing will be very difficult until mid-January.
Iy says that state-provided housing in Ireland is currently very limited for both Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection and applicants for international protection and that this shortage is likely to continue until early January.
It says Ireland is now taking in more than 50,000 people from Ukraine and 18,000 international asylum seekers.
The department said it will work with other agencies throughout the holiday season to provide sleeping accommodation for those arriving during the holiday season.
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