Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the committee for the opportunity for me and officials from my Department to come before it to speak about the role our Department has played in the response to the crisis in Ukraine. Ireland and the Government continue to condemn the invasion of Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. We reiterate our commitment to offer humanitarian assistance, safety and shelter to those forced to flee their homeland and seek refuge here. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis.

Our country has never experienced an influx of refugees like that we have seen over the past three months. We are receiving this influx at a time when our own housing crisis is severe and when more than 10,000 people are in direct provision, which is a system, as we know, the Government is working to end. My Department’s role is focused on the immediate accommodation needs of those who have fled here. To date, slightly more than 30,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 21,000 of those have sought accommodation from the State. The accommodation being provided is temporary in nature and is focused on the emergency need to provide shelter. I have acknowledged throughout, at any time when I have spoken about our accommodation provision, that much of the accommodation is not perfect and involves a degree of congregated living. In the short to medium term, some of this will have to continue.

Local authorities have stood up emergency accommodation locations throughout the country on request. The majority of immediate accommodation allocated at this time is in emergency accommodation. The temporary nature of emergency accommodation can involve a number of moves for those involved, which is a logistical challenge for our Department. I also recognise that this is not what we would like for those fleeing here. We do not like having to move people on a number of occasions but it is unavoidable due to the need to secure accommodation where we can. This need to move people is far from ideal. We would prefer not to add to the stress they are already experiencing but it is an element and by-product of this unprecedented crisis we are facing.

We established a Ukraine unit within my Department comprising more than 80 staff, the vast majority of whom are from the Department but there are also others who moved in from elsewhere and a number of individuals seconded from other Departments and agencies. I take this opportunity to recognise the amazing work of the staff of my Department, both the management team present who have done a significant amount of work in providing accommodation for so many people in such a short period and officials throughout my Department, many of whom have volunteered in their own time, at night and on weekends, to work in the welcome centre in Citywest to provide that immediate welcome to Ukrainians as they arrive here. I express my deep gratitude to everyone across my Department.

We have contracted approximately 16,500 beds in hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfast establishments, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and some other repurposed settings, with additional capacity also being pursued through Airbnb, accommodation pledged by the public, State-owned or private properties suitable for short-term accommodation, accommodation belonging to voluntary bodies, religious properties, local authority facilities, holiday homes, large rest centres such as Millstreet, and student accommodation. In sourcing and securing accommodation, the central consideration is the immediate safety and security of displaced people fleeing Ukraine.

I am conscious that there has been increased focus in recent weeks on pledged accommodation. People across Ireland have opened up their homes to those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. The Government is particularly appreciative of this offer of solidarity from people across the country.

Over 25,000 pledges were made to the Irish Red Cross. To date, this has resulted in 3,471 assumed vacant properties and 6,700 assumed shared properties, which are being progressed by the Department and implementing partners. This is a process that has been slower than I would have liked, but moving people to vacant or shared accommodation needs to be done right, with consideration for the people involved. That process takes time. To date, just short of 900 people have been placed in 311 properties nationwide. Pledges have also been activated privately. The Department is providing considerable support to the Irish Red Cross to advance this project.

As the committee will be aware, earlier today the Government agreed a recognition payment of €400 per month for families who had pledged accommodation, be it shared or vacant. If members wish to learn more about the payment, I will be happy to discuss it later

The early years division in my Department has taken responsibility for a number of actions supporting Ukrainian parents and children, allowing them to access preschool and ensuring children's well-being. These actions have included the development and translation of introductory information on the Irish early learning and care sector. A capacity analysis across the country identified vacant preschool places and work is ongoing to match children to the vacant places and to create additional early childhood care and education, ECCE, places, where possible, in areas of high demand. Information on the access and inclusion model for children with disabilities accessing preschool has been translated into Ukrainian and Russian.

There is an issue with the national childcare scheme, NCS, which I flagged on Report Stage of an earlier Bill. We sought to have that addressed in legislation the Department of Justice is introducing. We had originally proposed to it in the guardian ad litem, GAL, legislation but as the justice Bill in question will move more quickly, we will seek to have the issue with the NCS addressed in that legislation.

As a country, we have responded well to the call to support the effort in easing the burden for those relocating to Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine, and we will continue to do so as best we can. We all hope for an end to the war as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will provide all the supports we can to displaced persons living here.

It has not been easy to scale up services to this level in such a short period of time. I acknowledge that elements of the response have been imperfect but these opportunities to discuss the issues are beneficial. I have been travelling around the country in recent weeks speaking to representatives of community groups, family resource centres and youth services as well as those who are on the front line of this engagement. These opportunities have been beneficial to me and have allowed me to influence the conduct and actions of my Department and other Departments, recognising that this response is undertaken through all Departments.

Last Thursday, we had a useful meeting of the Cabinet committee on Ukraine at which we discussed the issue of pledges, the wider accommodation needs and the recognition payment that was passed at Cabinet today.

I thank everybody in my Department, other Departments and Government agencies for all the work that has been done. In particular, I thank the community groups around the country that have done so much, individually and collectively, to welcome Ukrainians to our country.