H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko:

Thank you so much. I did not prepare a statement because our main speaker was the chief of the President's office. As the committee knows, almost 33,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Ireland. It is a huge number for your country.

I would like to share the results of a survey with the committee. One of the Ukrainian organisations in Ireland has conducted the first big survey among Ukrainians who arrived in Ireland after 24 February. This organisation received 2,191 answers from people in 26 counties in just one week. This accounts for 6.6% of the newly arrived Ukrainian population in Ireland. First, 92% of Ukrainians are very grateful to Ireland while another 8% are just grateful for the support and help and for everything. Some 16% of Ukrainians and their children do not have a home to return to because it has been either damaged or destroyed. There is active fighting going on in the home cities of 43% of the Ukrainians in Ireland. Some 73% of newly arrived Ukrainians are willing to actively contribute to the economy. They are either already working or are actively looking for a job. Some 24% have found a job but unfortunately only one in five of these jobs matches their professional qualifications. One of the main obstacles in this regard is a knowledge of English at a working level. Finding long-term accommodation, access to healthcare, transportation and access to necessary infrastructure are among the most painful subjects in the survey. Some 21.6% of the respondents do not have a pharmacy within walking distance while some 30% do not have a supermarket.

One of the main problems is long-term accommodation because most of the Ukrainians are living in hotels right now. It is a problem for them. They move from one hotel to another one. It is not a problem for adults but it is a problem for the children because they have to change schools often. It is a bit traumatic for children. Almost 100% of Ukrainians who have arrived in Ireland are really very happy and are very grateful to the country and to the Irish people for the support, help and for everything.