John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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145. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans to accommodate in Ireland the 500 vulnerable Ukrainian refugees who fled to Moldova as was announced by Government in March 2022; the number who have arrived in Ireland to date; when they arrived; the locations in which they are being provided accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33147/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on meeting the immediate, temporary accommodation needs of those fleeing the conflict.

My Department is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here. To date, more than 35,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 25,000 of those have been referred to this Department seeking accommodation from the State.

Ireland has pledged to take 500 Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) from Moldova.  The process of identifying BOTPs interested in relocating to Ireland is being managed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Moldova.  My Department and the Department of Justice are working with the UNHCR and IOM to finalise arrangements for these refugees to come to Ireland and to be accommodated here.  19 refugees have now arrived in Ireland, with a further 5 due to travel here shortly.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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146. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Ukrainian refugees who are being provided with accommodation by the State by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33148/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis.

The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of displaced persons like the one that we have seen over the past months. My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here.

To date, more than 35,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 25,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State.

Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types have been contracted, including emergency accommodation. While this is not ideal, the priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.

Numbers seeking international protection have also increased adding to accommodation capacity issues.

I can advise the Deputy that the information sought is set out in tabular form showing the total capacity currently under contract with DCEDIY to accommodate Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, by Local Authority area and accommodation type, including hotels, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation, and certain repurposed settings (“Other”). The data is as of 21 June 2022.