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 extensively as part of the cross-governmental response to assist over 83,000 arrivals fleeing the war in Ukraine, of which 61,000 have sought accommodation from this Department.

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 770 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.

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

My Department enters into contracts with commercial accommodation providers for the purposes of the provision of temporary accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Contracts do contain obligations for the accommodation provider in relation to access for State agencies and NGOs in the context of the State’s emergency response, but these obligations do not extend to policy about visitors in general. Outside of what is specified under the terms of the contract, access to a commercial premises is a matter for the provider.