Government agrees two-year lease to use Citywest Hotel for Ukrainian refugees
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The Government has approved a lease agreement to use Citywest Hotel to house Ukrainian refugees for two years.
Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman on Tuesday brought a memo to Government providing an update on the final terms of a licence agreement for the use of the Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre to assist in the Government response to the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis.
The Government approved the decision to enter into a two-year lease for both the use of all 764 rooms in the hotel and also the use of the convention centre as a transit hub.
The Convention Centre at Citywest is now being used as the central processing and transit hub for Dublin Airport and Dublin Port arrivals for those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.
The Department of Justice and the Department of Social Protection have also moved their airport operation to the transit hub.
The centre operates on a 24/7 basis and a number of other organisations are present onsite, including Better Start, the HSE, the International Organisation for Migration and the South Dublin Volunteer Centre.
This means all necessary immediate supports are now co-located in Citywest, including an overnight rest area, making the initial arrival more comfortable for people fleeing from Ukraine.
It is expected the Ukrainian crisis will extend beyond the two years as Putin’s invasion is ongoing and a significant reconstruction effort will be required when the conflict ends in order to make the country habitable again.
More than 33,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in the State so far, many of whom require emergency accommodation.