Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

329. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department and all bodies under her Department’s aegis have reviewed their estates' portfolio in the context of identifying unoccupied buildings that may be suitable for use in the context of meeting the accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. [54226/22]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

330. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number and type of unused and or unoccupied buildings in his Department’s estates’ portfolio and all bodies under his Department’s aegis. [54244/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 330 together.

Matters relating to the acquisition and leasing of property for my Department, and for the majority of those bodies under the remit of the Department are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works.

Within that context, my Department and those bodies under its remit continue to engage with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in relation to the identification of unused unoccupied buildings that may be suitable for use in the context of meeting the accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. A number of properties have been identified by the Department's bodies which may be of benefit.

I would advise the Deputy that earlier this year, Fáilte Ireland reported two vacant commercial properties. Both properties are listed on the OPW property register. In addition, Údarás Na Gaeltachta operates a land portfolio for the support of the creation of jobs in the Gaeltacht communities, details of which are available on the body's website udaras.ie/en/business/properties/

The Department has also engaged with Sport Ireland and individual National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport to encourage practical measures of support to Ukraine from within the sports ecosystem, including the offering of sports facilities to assist in meeting accommodation needs of those arriving from Ukraine. A number of NGBs have already provided temporary accommodation to assist in this regard and, most recently, the indoor arena at the National Sports Campus was provided to the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) for a period of six weeks for use in meeting the accommodation needs of people arriving to Ireland.

My Department has also nominated a representative to the Senior Officials Group dealing with this matter and will continue to work with these bodies under the aegis and stakeholders to identify opportunities to assist in meeting the accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the Ukraine.