Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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439. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 622 of 21 June 2022, the costs of the contracts that are in place with third level institutions and with the owners of privately owned student accommodation; the names of the third level institutions involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35447/22]

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 38,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 28,000 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.

The number of people seeking international protection has also increased adding to accommodation capacity issues.

My Department has entered into contracts with the following third-level institutions: Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University of Limerick, Maynooth University, University College Cork and National University of Ireland, Galway.

It is not possible to provide contract values because of commercial sensitivity.