Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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94. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant buildings identified and recommended to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for the provision of emergency accommodation for Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers; the breakdown of the number of buildings per county; and the potential bed capacity in each local authority. [58386/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is continuing to work closely with local authorities and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to identify, refurbish, and bring into use, multi-unit vacant properties that may be suitable and available for accommodation purposes for beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine.

In cases where buildings identified as vacant do not require refurbishment, my Department notifies DCEDIY, so that the appropriate follow up can take place. As at 21 November 2022, 35 such buildings, with an approximate capacity of 2,130 spaces, have been notified to the DCEDIY.

Noting that many of these buildings are privately owned, it would be inappropriate to publish the details of individual buildings. Final decisions on whether such properties progress for use, including whether they are suitable for refurbishment or conversion into multi-unit emergency accommodation for Ukrainian refugees are made by DCEDIY with input from my Department.