Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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348. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on a contract (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18757/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge from the invasion of Ukraine, including 80,000 people, of which over 59,000 have sought accommodation.

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 47,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.

The priority is to place people in safe and secure accommodation.

I am advised by my officials that the property referred to was submitted for consideration as part of the Emergency Refurbishment Programme in the D/Housing, Local Government and Heritage.