Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

To Deputy O'Hara, I repeat that those people from Ukraine who remain in the property will stay at the Merriman Hotel and will be accommodated under new arrangements. That is fairly black and white. I take on board the comments of both Deputies and will bring them back to the Minister.

The Department has been working with communities all over Ireland to source and provide accommodation for people applying for international protection. Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. This is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their home countries. I repeat that it is our humanitarian duty.

The State is currently accommodating over 33,000 people in over 320 international protection accommodation centres around the country. The Government is working towards a more sustainable international protection accommodation system that will include moving away, over time, from an over-reliance on commercial and emergency accommodation contracts. The Government is working to ensure that a greater proportion of accommodation is provided on State-owned land over time. The degree of control given to the State by the creation of a core supply of State-owned accommodation for both emergency and permanent options will increase as supply is delivered, re-establishing strategic direction over the accommodation type, location and dispersal pattern. This work will be progressed as part of the development of a new migration and integration strategy, and will shortly transfer from this Department to the Department of Justice. That move is to be completed in the coming days.

Deputy Mattie McGrath made reference to May Day. I repeat that there has been engagement. We have a humanitarian duty. The Government and Department are working in compliance with tax requirements, the Companies Registration Office and EU trade agreements.

I ask Members to be careful in the language they use. I recognise their views are sincerely held. However, our language and how we express ourselves is very important. We are talking here about people who are looking for refuge and are living in communities. I urge all Members to be sensitive to the needs of everybody.

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