Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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This relates to a matter that was raised recently, namely, the need to deploy Ukrainian refugees to various locations around the country. This case has to do with Kill in County Kildare. The people of Kill have set a high standard down the years in terms of being innovative, of welcoming new people to the area and of providing the maximum amount of backup and assistance. That is still the case.

Unfortunately, there were people in attendance at a public meeting who were not from the area and who had other intentions, so I will point out the concerns of the local people. They were a little concerned about how there appeared to be a secretive move to, as it were, dump people into the area without any consultation. While it is difficult to consult everyone to the appropriate extent, a little bit of trust and dialogue with the local community is of great importance.

I strongly support the accommodation of people from war zones, as well as our international obligation to do so. That must continue. We must always recognise the difficult situations that various refugees find themselves in and have the utmost compassion for them.

In this situation and if possible, giving an indication would be important. No contracts have been signed yet and I am sure that the Department is looking around for an appropriate place to bring people. Local people are concerned about local services and the need to upgrade them in areas where extra housing is required for whatever reason. They are also concerned for local people who have been on housing lists for a number of years, albeit obviously for different reasons, and the need to accommodate them insofar as is possible. If it is deemed the right thing to do in any particular location, not only in Kill, then accommodation in the area should be brought up to a standard that is sufficient for accommodating the intended people.

The people of Kill have always welcomed others and have been anxious to help with any situation that has arisen in the county. Lest there be any misunderstanding, their attitude is one of ensuring that the best possible service is provided. They are capable of enhancing that in a way that would improve the country's reputation and, in doing so, would allow the placement of people who are in difficult situations and have nowhere else to go.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for his question and points. As the House knows, my Department is providing accommodation for more than 62,000 people. Some 45,000 of those are displaced from Ukraine and almost 17,000 are international protection applicants. This compares with around 7,500 last year. To put it in context, this is equivalent to 1.3% of the State's population. Our pre-Covid annual total population growth rate was 1%. The figure of 62,000 is larger than the population of Waterford city and is approaching the size of Galway city. It is by far the largest humanitarian effort that the State has ever undertaken.

This creates a challenge for the State, but it also creates a duty on the Government and the entire political system to ensure that we can continue to support those who are seeking refuge in Ireland from a vicious war and other vicious conflicts. My Department has a Ukraine crisis temporary accommodation team, which works with the International Protection Accommodation Service on procuring accommodation. Alongside this, we have to find beds for those who are in accommodation where contracts have ended and ensure that no one stays in temporary rest centres for too long. This means that officials in my Department are potentially accommodating and moving several hundred people, many of whom are vulnerable, on a daily basis. It is a major logistical challenge and a cross-Government effort. My Department, the Departments of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Social Protection, Education, Health and Justice, and the Office of Public Works, OPW, are working together, with the amazing support of local authorities and community groups around the country. The Deputy is undoubtedly aware of the amazing work that is being done by groups across County Kildare.

There has been a great welcome in County Kildare. Approximately 2% of the total number of international protection applicants in the country, or 450 individuals, reside in Kildare and approximately 2%, or just over 1,000, of the total number of Ukrainians in the country reside there.

In terms of movement and notice, when we procure new accommodation for international protection applicants or Ukrainians, we also endeavour to provide briefings to Deputies, Senators and the relevant local authorities at official and councillor levels. In the case of Kill, there is no contract yet. It is for this reason that we have not provided any information - there is no contract to speak to. A number of issues and concerns have been raised. In our contract negotiations, those will form part of our decision on whether a contract is entered into. I am aware of issues around sewage capacity and flooding.

Deputy Durkan spoke to the wider pressures in Irish society, particularly the pressures on our housing lists. That situation is acute in County Kildare and west Dublin. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is rolling out Housing for All. I joined him and the Taoiseach last week at the great launch of a significant new social housing development in my constituency. It is positive to see that coming online. The Taoiseach and the Minister are considering new and innovative methods, for example, modular or rapid builds, however one wants to describe them, to form part of the Housing for All solution.

Regardless of what might happen in Kill and what is happening elsewhere, the accommodation solutions in this situation are temporary and should not be confused with the permanent accommodation solutions that we are looking to put in place for all members of the population who have a housing need, in particular those who have been on the social housing list for long periods. I am working on the temporary accommodation element and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is working on the permanent social housing element.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his detailed reply and for his knowledge of the situation in the area. The provision of information and extra facilities, as required, is welcomed by those who may be temporarily or permanently housed there. It is important that the quality of whatever accommodation is made available is of a standard that is in keeping with their requirements and is of a sufficiently high standard to ensure that the situation does not become an embarrassment to the area or to the people living in that accommodation temporarily or permanently.

It is also important that people be able to express to the Ukrainian population Ireland's willingness to do its job and accept its responsibilities in terms of international protection by responding to the demands arising from an illegal and irresponsible war that is causing havoc for the people of Ukraine and Europe more widely.

I fully accept the Minister's bona fides on the provision of quality facilities that are in accord with the standards we expect today. If they are to be used on a temporary basis they could also be used elsewhere on a temporary basis. The important point is that dialogue needs to continue with the local community, which will respond and take on board what is required, and be responsible and encourage people to live in and contribute to the area. At this stage it important to ensure that the area does not reject people because of their origin, or does not in any way show any antipathy or animosity towards people who are under really serious pressure at this time.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank Deputy Durkan. I take the Deputy's point on the importance of standards. We will always look to provide good standards of accommodation. We must realise, however, that temporary accommodation is temporary in nature and the standards will be different from permanent accommodation. We must also remember that people arriving here from Ukraine are fleeing sub-zero temperatures coming to them in winter, are fleeing daily energy blackouts, and are fleeing drones and missile attacks to their areas. I am aware that Ukraine may not be on the top headlines of the news every day now but there remains a brutal war going on there. This is why Ukrainians are coming here. They are not coming here with the desire to be located in Kill or in Blanchardstown. They are coming here because they are fleeing a brutal war. We must always keep this in mind.

We do continue to provide that welcome. I work very closely with the Ukrainian Embassy. The Deputy will be aware that in recent weeks we have had to be very honest with our Ukrainian friends about the pressure on accommodation right now and the immediate availability of accommodation that was here in the earlier stages will not be here in the future. There will have to be a more managed arrival on the accommodation side. We have flagged this with the Ukrainian Embassy and we have worked closely with them to ensure that we can continue to accommodate people who arrive here. We will also be able to accommodate those who are here at the moment and who may have to move if hotels decide later on this year or early next year to revert to traditional tourist business. It is a complicated balance and we need to do it working with communities. In the context of Kill we will continue to engage in negotiations with the provider there. We will address the concerns that have been raised. If a contract is agreed, information about that will be provided to elected representatives, to local representatives, to councils and to community groups.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. The local authority is also on hand to help.