Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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253. To ask the Minister for Health if any refugees are being housed or intended to be housed on properties in the ownership of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23642/22]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The responsibility of providing emergency accommodation for Ukrainian refugees and others seeking international protection rests with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) is focusing on the medium and long-term accommodation challenges for persons arriving in Ireland as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. It is leading cross-government efforts through a Housing Taskforce established by Government for this purpose. The Taskforce is considering a number of options, including refurbishment and reconfiguration of vacant public and private owned buildings as multi-occupancy accommodation for Ukrainians.

My Department does not itself own any properties. However, it has submitted a list of potentially suitable HSE properties to DHLGH. My Department and the HSE have been engaging bilaterally with DHLGH on these HSE properties and how those that might be suitable for use as multi-occupancy accommodation, if any, can be brought into use.