Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raise the Ukrainian crisis and where we stand in respect of that dilemma. We are 40-plus days into the war and thousands of refugees have come to Ireland. On Tuesday last, 42 refugees turned up in Clonakilty, where there was no accommodation, after leaving Dublin Airport at 2 a.m. They arrived in Clonakilty in the afternoon to be met with no accommodation and had to be shipped off to Killarney.

I am really concerned about where we are regarding accommodation for these refugees. A really unfortunate war is putting unbelievable pressure on our housing and economy, but how will we deal with this issue in the longer term? We are only 40 days into the war but we are already at a crisis point. We have taken the easy option so far by filling up hotels and the others forms of accommodation that came easily to us. The roll-out of the so-called Red Cross rooms in private homes has not really begun, from what I have seen.

A long-term strategic plan needs to be discussed and we need to find out how the local authorities, which constitute one of the leading drivers in the crisis in that they represent a central point of contact, will deal with this daily, and it will be a daily issue. Busloads of young women and children are coming and we do not have accommodation lined up for them. I am very concerned about how we will work this. We need to have a rolling, weekly debate in the House to get updates on where this accommodation is going to be provided and how we will adequately serve the thousands of people who will come.

I am fearful that we are not prepared. While the roll-out was really positive at the start, cracks are now forming.