The Government will be left with little options but to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in tents or big venues in Ireland in the coming weeks but up to 6,000 vacant homes have been identified, senior sources have said.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said the use of tents will be “a last option,” but senior Government figures have said there is no real alternative if up to 30,000 refugees arrive into Ireland in the coming weeks.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin will update Cabinet colleagues on Tuesday on accommodation plans as Government Departments “are working through the pledges” from the Irish public.
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As of Sunday, over 14,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived into Ireland with one senior source saying around 1,200 are being accommodated in Co Clare.
It’s understood the State has identified between 5,000 and 6,000 vacant homes through pledges.
And that people will be asked to help accommodate refugees for a minimum of six months.
Minister McEntee said it’s hard to know how many refugees will come to Ireland and updated figures show 3.7 million Ukrainians have already fled their country.
She reiterated the 200,000 figure and when asked about refugees being housed in tents, she said tented accommodation is being created but it hasn’t been used yet.
She said: “Yes we’re exploring all options, what we’ve managed to do so far with 13,500 people in five and a half weeks is not go down that route.
“People are being put up in a temporary way, in hotel accommodation or that type of accommodation.
“Of the 13,500, over 7,000 have sought accommodation, which means you have a significant number that have not.
“Before we’ve even discussed or looked at the possibility of larger buildings with camp beds or tents or whatever we’ve been seeing in Poland, we still have all of these other avenues we have to explore.”
However, a senior Government source has questioned the alternative to tented accommodation if up to 30,000 refugees arrive here soon.
The Defence Forces have already set up an emergency tented facility at Gormanston camp in Co Meath.
The source said the Government doesn't have “many options” and it’ll be “tents or big venues,” adding “this is a real refugee crisis, like.”
Venues under active consideration to house refugees include Gormanstown, in Co Meath and CityWest in Dublin.
Minister McEntee said the Taoiseach has been clear that the State will not limit the number of refugees Ireland takes in.
When asked about the potential issues that may arise with housing refugees in tented accommodation, a senior source said the State can’t cap the number of refugees “even if we wanted to” due to EU legislation.
However, senior figures said they would not want to put a limit on the number of Ukrainians fleeing war.
Minister McEntee said people who have pledged assistance to house refugees will be asked to help out for a minimum of six months.
She told RTE: “The Red Cross is working with the Department of Children and with the support of the Defence Forces have been contacting the offers where there have been vacant properties so that’s the most straightforward - you don’t have any potential risks that may arise.
“That has started and we’ve been working through that phase.
“The second phase and the Red Cross have outlined this is we now have to engage where people have offered up their own home but we do have to make sure once the State is involved, there is a duty of care for the people who are arriving but also to the people who are offering up their home so there has to be some form of care taken.”
She said the gardaí are also involved and “things will take a little longer” but the State is working through pledges as quickly as possible.
She added: “We’re asking people to offer help for a minimum of six months.”
EU Ministers are also devising an anti-trafficking plan given that 90% of those fleeing Ukraine are women and children.
Ms McEntee said: "What's really important… is that we acknowledge the risks with such a mass movement of people.
“Risks around human trafficking, child exploitation, but also criminality.
"What we need to make sure is that as people start to disperse further from the initial member states, that we are collectively speaking to each other that we know where people are travelling to, and that obviously we can see where people are seeking that temporary protection mechanism.”
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