Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 2 June 2022

Public Accounts Committee

2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

9:30 am

Mr. Kevin McCarthy:

There are QR code notices on site in the reception centres, which can be scanned on a phone to bring the user to information websites. Gov.ie has a lot of information material in the Ukrainian and Russian languages. The information materials provided are provided in the various languages. We have interpreters on site in Citywest and previously in Dublin Airport to ensure people's needs and inquiries can be met. There are a lot of attempts, to be fair to all the Departments and agencies involved, to ensure that Ukrainians are being met on arrival with whatever information they require.

As for the non-Dublin Airport arrivals, the vast majority of arrivals are through Dublin Airport, at well over 90%, although I would have to check the figures. Small numbers come through other ports of entry. We have a presence in Rosslare Europort, where there are regular arrivals on the ferry. That is managed for us by Wexford County Council, while hubs in Limerick and Cork are managed by the Department of Social Protection. Ukrainians will be met by somebody on arrival.

We arrange for an NGO presence in Shannon Airport or Cork Airport and they are directed to the information hub to have their needs met.