Mr. Nick Henderson:

If I may, I will make a general point regarding something that we have recommended along with the Ukraine Civil Society Forum, a group comprising more than 60 organisations that have come together to work on a response. We have said that there needs to be a greater focus on planning, logistics, co-ordination and medium- and long-term preparation of accommodation and education. This could entail a director of Ukraine response, given that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is under significant strain and the Department of Education has a wide and busy brief. A director of Ukraine response would not mitigate all of these issues but could help to co-ordinate, plan, ensure better national to local co-ordination and bring together central government.

What we are discussing at this meeting is symptomatic of the fact that Ireland has given a strong welcome to refugees from Ukraine, for which we commend it strongly.

It is exceptional in many ways. A short-term humanitarian emergency response must be matched with a long-term planning methodology, however, which is probably missing at the moment.