Charities supporting Ukrainian refugees need more State support, survey shows
Sasha Who Are Dublin Sasha Zmiievska With Brian Living Daughter (4), Kyiv, Her Petrova From Currently Lawless/pa In Picture:
A new survey shows 60% of charities in Ireland have provided support to Ukrainian refugees.
The research also found voluntary organisations need more support to enable them to continue helping those fleeing the war.
Some 33,000 refugees have arrived here since the Russian invasion began in February.
The survey conducted by The Wheel last month involved 156 charities.
CEO of The Wheel, Deirdre Garvey, says charities are working well with State services but they need more resources.
"There are Community Response Forums in every local authority area and charities and community organisations are working very closely with them," said Ms Garvey.
"What we are seeing is that, with more than three quarters of the organisations surveyed, the additional services that they are working with people from Ukraine on are having an impact on their resources.
"They really need additional resources from the Government."
Ms Garvey said that the voluntary organisations are providing essential services to refugees.
While the Government is providing accommodation to Ukrainian people arriving in Ireland, it is these organisations who are looking after their social, mental and physical needs.
"Some of them are very traumatised and community organisations are very much on the frontline of this like we were during Covid," said Ms Garvey.
"We are responding in a flexible, innovative, and compassionate way.
Meanwhile, the Government has reached an agreement to lease the Citywest Hotel in Dublin to accommodate Ukrainian refugees.
Last night it was confirmed that the government had reached an agreement with the hotel owner to lease the 764-room hotel for two years.
It is part of efforts to accommodate the huge numbers of Ukrainian refugees arriving here.