Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join in the congratulations as well. I also join in commending our colleague, the Acting Leader, Senator Clifford Lee, on her important work with the IPU, which is fantastic. I also congratulate the two Senators who were elected as MEPs. They are two very capable ladies - our Deputy Leader - a former Leader, and a former MEP and soon-to-be former Senator, Lynn Boylan. She will be missed from the EU scrutiny committee, of which she was an active member. She will bring her undoubted expertise to the European Parliament where she will be wearing the green jersey and representing Ireland. We wish her well.

Today, I seek a debate or discussion with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, on moving from the emergency response to the Ukrainian crisis in which we are currently engaged to a more sustained long-term plan for accommodating our Ukrainian friends. We see too often that accommodation units are being closed and Ukrainians are being moved to different accommodation. For example, people were moved from Killarney to some other part of the country recently, even though most of them were in employment and many of the children were in school, where they had been for two years.

There was also a situation where a number of Ukrainian families were moved from Shannon to Lisdoonvarna, even though approximately 30 of them are in employment in Shannon where they provide essential supports and services and many of the children were in school. That brings me to Lisdoonvarna in County Clare, where there are five hotels at the moment accommodating either people from Ukraine or people in the international protection system. Most fair-minded people would agree that while that might have been acceptable during an emergency situation, but that is no longer the case given the fact that the predominant income in north Clare is derived from tourism for at least six months of the year. Restaurants, bars and visitor attractions have suffered simply because there is not accommodation for tourists.

The best approach is that each local authority would be asked to come up with a plan. In the case of Clare County Council, I am sure it would recommend that the number of hotels in Lisdoonvarna would be reduced and that there would be a more sustainable approach that would be more spread out. At the same time, we would not have a situation where people are being unilaterally moved but it would be done on a planned, phased basis in consultation with the community and with the families affected.