Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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140. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of modular units that will be delivered and in place by the end of 2022 to house Ukrainian refugees [53799/22]

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 54,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 43,000 of those have been referred to this Department 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, my Department has contracted in excess of 34,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 550 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.

The Government is committed to delivering a humanitarian response to welcome people seeking protection in Ireland as part of the European Union's overall response. The priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.

Regarding the matter raised, I can advise the Deputy that John Sisk and Son Holding Ltd. (Sisk) has been appointed as the main contractor for site enabling works and for the procurement, transportation and installation of 500 modular homes under the programme approved by the Government as part of the State’s humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis. The 500 homes will have the capacity to accommodate 2,000 Ukrainians (in family units of four). Sisk has sub-contracted five companies spread across Ireland to build modular homes for the programme to the OPW’s specification. An order for the manufacture of 250 modular homes for the first phase of the programme will be placed with the manufacturers imminently. The lead in-line for the manufacturing process is estimated at around 10 weeks.

Further orders will be placed later this year for the balance of the homes required to complete the programme and for any further expansion of it that may be authorised by the Government.

I trust this information is of assistance.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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141. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if all the 500 units of modular housing that the Government has stated it will deliver for Ukrainian refugees will be contracted out for delivery in 2022 and if not, the reason for same. [53800/22]

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 54,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 43,000 of those have been referred to this Department 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, my Department has contracted in excess of 34,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 550 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.

The Government is committed to delivering a humanitarian response to welcome people seeking protection in Ireland as part of the European Union's overall response. The priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.

Regarding the matter raised, I can advise the Deputy that the timeframe for the installation of the modular homes has recently been recalibrated in the light of experience to date with evaluation and assessment of the suitability of sites, engagement with representatives of communities located adjacent to sites and the timescale for the manufacture of the homes required. Accordingly, it is now expected these homes will be installed on a phased basis during January and February 2023 as site enabling works across a range of locations are completed. All modular sites will have roads, footpaths, street lighting and community facilities, including a play area and green spaces fully in line with Local Authority planning guidance. The modular homes will be well built, highly energy efficient, durable units. The development of the sites will be fully compliant with social housing regulations and conducted in an environmentally sustainable way to ensure that, post development, the site will enhance the local area.

I trust this information is of assistance.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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142. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will detail all contracts that the Government has with a group (details supplied) to provide asylum seeker accommodation or Ukrainian refugee accommodation; the total cost of each contract to date; the breakdown of the locations of property provided by the group; and if he will provide details of any meetings, including dates, that any officials from his Department have had with the group. [53805/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Deputy, I can confirm that Double Property Group (DPG) were successful with their submitted tender for Type 2 family accommodation in response to the Department's published RFT to establish ‘Bespoke Panel Agreement for the Provision of Accommodation Services and Related Services for Persons Seeking International Protection’ which was published in January 2022.

DPG’s tender comprised of properties in three locations:

- Ballyhaden, Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary;

- Griffin House, Limerick City, Co. Limerick;

- Slaney Court Apartments, Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow.

The total value of the contract is commercially sensitive information and accordingly cannot be provided.

Furthermore, as part of the evaluation of its tender, all three locations were subject to site inspections by the evaluation team on 3, 16 and 17 May 2022 to verify that the accommodation specification would be met, subject to completion of mobilisation works.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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143. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider placing modular homes in the Germantown military camp to help with the Ukrainian refugee crisis. [53806/22]

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 54,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 43,000 of those have been referred to this Department 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, my Department has contracted in excess of 34,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 550 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.

The Government is committed to delivering a humanitarian response to welcome people seeking protection in Ireland as part of the European Union's overall response. The priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.

Regarding the matter raised, property management decisions on Department of Defence property is a matter for the Minister for Defence.

With regard to the selection of sites for the development of emergency modular accommodation, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage sought information from public authorities on potential sites in their ownership which might be suitable for the installation of modular housing units.

I trust this information is of assistance.