Empty houses across the country are being checked out to see if Ukrainian refugees can be accommodated in them, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
He said the Government is also securing premises that could be reconverted into housing units.
Cabinet agreed to take an additional 500 Ukrainian refugees from Moldova due to the “enormous pressure” the country is facing
They are due to arrive in Ireland at the end of this week and this is in addition to the 6,646 refugees that have already arrived in Ireland.
Mr Martin said planning is already underway for modular housing to be built to help home refugees as 2,000 refugees are currently in hotels across the country.
Speaking in Washington, he said: “Thousands of units of accommodation have been secured by the Department of Children and they are continuing to secure additional accommodation.
“They will work through in the aftermath of securing hotels and B&Bs and so on and work beyond that with the pledges they received.
“That work, the planning [for modular homes] is already underway in respect of that.
“We had a briefing on Tuesday from Minister [Darragh] O’Brien in respect of that.
“And the Minister for Children, Roderic O’Gorman, his Department is securing additional facilities.
“They’re getting a good response by the way..they’re now going through pledges of empty housing units or facilities that have been offered through the red cross.
“They’re very conscious that there has to be proper vetting and proper homework done in respect of that so that’s working and there is a sense of urgency about this.”
Mr Martin said it was “morally reprehensible” for someone to offer a free room in a house in exchange for sex.
A property in Co Clare was being offered for free to a “slim Ukrainian” woman, with an expectation of sex, according to the Irish Examiner.
The landlord demanded a photo from a prospective renter before revealing the location of the property.
Mr Martin said the Government is “very conscious” of such incidents hence why strict vetting has to be carried out on anyone that is offering up their house to accommodate refugees.
He said: “That is morally reprehensible, that kind of behaviour.
“That’s why in the first instance, we said we give cash, the second instance, the Minister has been working with hotels, B&Bs and other forms of accommodation like that, securing premises that we can reconvert into housing units, that work is already happening.”
He said the Tusla and Gardaí are looking at the right procedures to ensure Ukrainians arriving here are protected, particularly children.
Mr Martin said it is a “personal decision” for his family on how he will assist Ukrainian refugees here.
He added: “We again call on Russia to end the war.
“It’s an appalling tragedy unfolding but an appalling, immoral attack on the people of Ukraine which has shocked the world on the human toll.”
He said Russia has been hit with further sanctions from the EU on iron and steel products.
