Ukrainian refugees will no longer be able to turn down multiple offers of accommodation
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Ukrainian refugees will no longer be able to turn down multiple offers of accommodation, under plans to be approved by the Cabinet today.
The Government is seeking to ramp up the movement of people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine out of hotels and into more community-based accommodation. However, there has been difficulty in moving some people as they have refused to be moved out of towns and cities.
The Cabinet is today signing off on reforms to the Irish reception and integration system.
The understands that people will not be made a second offer if one offer of suitable accommodation is not accepted.
It is also expected that from now on, those living in hotels will be charged for a percentage of their meals.
Sources said that there is a fear that hotels are becoming long-term accommodation and that this is, in part, due to alternative offers of accommodation being refused over fears that accommodation is too remote or lacks services.
Plans to double the payment for people hosting Ukrainian refugees to €800 have also been approved by ministers. It will be effective from December 1.
It is understood that a study of how EU rules governing the treatment of people fleeing Ukraine are enforced around the bloc is to be undertaken by the Department of Justice.
Ministers believe that other countries are giving fewer supports on accommodation and benefits, or for less time.
Helen McEntee’s Department of Justice will examine how the temporary protection directive, which governs the rights given to Ukrainians here, is applied across various EU countries.
The review, ministers were told, is to ensure the transposition of the EU directive broadly aligns with other jurisdictions and can support accommodation, income support and related services equally.
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said the State does have the capacity to meet the needs of those arriving.
"The problem he said is we don't have adequate preparation or coordination for the Government's Department responsible.
“Keep in mind there's 60,000 vacant holiday homes across the state,” Mr Ó Broin said.
“And if you could get 5%or 10% of those, that's 3,000 to 6,000 homes that could house one or two Ukrainian families each. Here in Dublin, we have 40,000 vacant properties, including many large properties that again, could be refurbed,” he said.
He was deeply critical of several Government departments for not doing enough.
“There is not sufficient coordination between all of the Government departments,” he said.
“So can we tackle the homelessness crisis in this State? Yes, we can. Can we provide temporary emergency accommodation of quality to people fleeing war weather in Ukraine or elsewhere? Yes, we can. The problem is that the lack of coordination driven by this Government,” he added.