Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his engagement with me on this issue. Other Deputies and Ministers in the constituency have been on to me as well. My Department made a decision to end its contract for accommodation of Ukrainians in this particular property in accordance with contractual terms. My officials have been in direct contact with this provider and have advised that the provider is free to continue providing accommodation to the Ukrainians living there on a private basis if it wishes to do so. The Ukrainians living there can avail of existing State supports such as rent supplement to do that.

Usually when Ukrainians leave State-provided accommodation, their entitlement to State-provided accommodation ends. In this situation, looking to facilitate the families in question, we have said that we will allow them to try to make those private arrangements with the provider. If that does not work out, they have an entitlement to come back into the State system and we will look to provide them with accommodation elsewhere.

We are trying to do our best to be fair. We have obligations in ensuring the contracts we have signed are fully set down. There was a concern about the contract here and it is on that basis that the Department is ending the contract but we are also looking to facilitate the Ukrainians living in this location, which is why we have put in place the particular measures I set out.

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