Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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566. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a database or other such resource is available on a localised level to assist in the identification of housing availability for Ukrainian refugees; if his attention has been drawn to schools seeking housing for children in emergency accommodation due to the lack of a local resource on housing availability and his efforts to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18402/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is focused on providing emergency accommodation to people fleeing Ukraine where requested. Almost 10,000 people have been provided with accommodation by IPAS to date.

IPAS has contracted over 5,000 hotel rooms, with additional capacity also being pursued through hotels, guest houses and B&Bs, accommodation pledged by the general public, religious properties, and local authority facilities.

More than 20,000 people have also pledged accommodation through the Irish Red Cross. My Department has begun to utilise this accommodation, focusing initially on vacant homes and this process will continue.

My Department is working closely with the local authorities on present accommodation needs. Longer term accommodation needs require input for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and these discussions are taking place.

Engagement is also taking place with officials in other Government Departments including the Department of Education of provision of services to those fleeing Ukraine.

Work is underway in my Department to develop data system that will track accommodation being provided by IPAS. Discussions are also taking place across Government on a data solution that will map locations of those fleeing Ukraine to services including schools.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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567. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a structure is being put in place to ensure that services such as the HSE medical card services are notified of the presentation of Ukrainian refugees at their offices in order that preparations can be made to deal with their needs such as ensuring adequate numbers of staff are available and the presence of translators can be arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18403/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on these matters which are more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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568. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration is being given to provide publicly funded translation services to assist agencies dealing with Ukrainian refugees given the high costs that are being encountered by Tusla and other organisations that acquire the services of private providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18404/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response to meet the immediate accommodation needs of those fleeing the conflict. It is reviewing how best to provide translation services to Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection but has not yet concluded its assessment in this regard.