Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have written to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, and others over a number of months seeking an answer about the better co-ordination by the Government of services for those who come here seeking protection or refugee status, including those who come here from Ukraine. I am very concerned about today's report that Citywest transit hub is to pause the entry of new international protection arrivals to emergency accommodation. I ask that the Taoiseach facilitate statements, a debate or some response on the co-ordination of services for those who come here seeking protection. I ask this particularly given that so many people in my constituency, in an exercise of "yimbyism" – yes in my backyardism – are asking me to put to the Taoiseach and other Ministers that a huge hotel in Ballsbridge, Jurys, is sitting vacant. Baggot Street hospital, which I have also raised on numerous occasions, and other major centres also have the potential to be used for accommodation, yet we are not being given any co-ordinated response by the Government as to where we should go with these very positive and constructive suggestions on the provision of emergency accommodation to those who come here seeking refugee status. We ask that this be put on the Government's agenda.

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