Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I agree with her comments on the need for a co-ordinated response to how we welcome, look after, care for and get back on their feet the people displaced by the war in Ukraine. I also agree with her on the form of politics that is going to work best to deliver that and very much welcome her willingness to work with the Ministers, Deputies O'Gorman and Darragh O'Brien, in coming forward with practical solutions because we must be practical and quick here to provide housing, shelter and a whole range of other different supports.

I also agree with the Deputy regarding the example of the Baggot Street hospital. It is a perfect example of such a facility. In the Cabinet's discussion on Tuesday it was included as one of the projects we are looking to refurbish and bring back into use. The Deputy knows Baggot Street hospital. While there has been some work going on it for the last decade or two, it has been lying idle and empty in the middle of a city-centre village. I support bringing it back to life, initially for displaced Ukrainian people, but also then getting over this inertia that seems to be in our system that allows buildings to lie derelict and has allowed vacancy to exist during a housing crisis. In some ways, one of the advantages we can take out of this crisis is that we then develop and open up buildings that have been shut for so long and refurbish them quickly.

The role of IPAS is critical because it has the expertise. This is a very complex and difficult issue. We have experience from the Syrian refugees and the Afghan refugees more recently. Going back over the years, IPAS has the best expertise on how we integrate and bring a welcome. However, it cannot shoulder the burden on its own. It cannot be responsible for the long-term assimilation of people. The whole discussion at Cabinet and the paper the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, brought to us this week, which was agreed, was to ensure the Department with responsibility for housing really steps up now, as well as local authorities. They have a critical role. We must designate key individuals within local authorities who work with community groups and other agencies of the State and accommodation providers, so this matter is not just left to IPAS. The service will not be able to manage the numbers, scale and long-term work that needs to be done. Its expertise is in managing immediate crises. It is about a co-ordinated approach between the local authorities, the Department with responsibility for housing and a range of other Government bodies, including the Departments of Social Protection, Health and Education. Central and critical to that will be a new Cabinet subcommittee being established so we as Ministers can ensure the system is responding. That door is open for co-operation with Opposition parties of every colour and hue to help make it work.

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