Government set to explore refurbishing disused buildings amid asylum seeker accommodation shortages

The Cabinet sub-committee on migration met on Thursday afternoon to discuss the ongoing situation with Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers.

By: irishmirror.ie

May 02 2024
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Government set to explore refu

The Government is set to focus on refurbishing derelict and disused buildings in a bid to alleviate accommodation shortages, the Cabinet sub-committee on migration has heard.

It comes as nearly 100 asylum seekers queued outside the International Protection Office were told there was no accommodation for them on Thursday just hours after a tent encampment was dismantled.

Some 290 people who had been sleeping in tents on Mount Street were brought to accommodation in Crooksling and Citywest in the early hours of Wednesday morning as part of a joint operation including several Government bodies.

The Government sub-committee on migration met on Thursday afternoon to discuss the ongoing situation with Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers

The Irish Mirror understands that Ministers at the meeting discussed the refurbishment of derelict and disused buildings as a way to ease accommodation shortages for refugees.

It is understood that there is growing interest from the private sector in the refurbishment programme that was set up to ease accommodation shortages for Ukrainian refugees.

It is also understood that a “pipeline of 350 places” per month has been established. Refurbished accommodation could be used to move people from hotels or unsuitable or substandard accommodation.

While there are initial costs to refurbishment, the meeting discussed how they could be an “optimum solution” for future refugee and asylum seeker accommodation.

It was also heard that publicly owned buildings that are currently in disrepair should be prioritised for investment and that this would allow for longer-term arrangements.

It was suggested that the potential for expanding refurbishment programmes, like the one that has been put in place for Ukrainian refugee accommodation, should be examined in the future for international protection and homelessness accommodation.

It was reported on Thursday that the meeting would examine cutting the rates of social welfare rates for Ukrainian refugees. The rates for new arrivals were cut from €232 a month to €38.80 a month in March. Their entitlement to State-provided accommodation was also limited to 90 days.

Finance Minister Michael McGrath said on Thursday morning that there is “no immediate plan” to cut social welfare rates for other Ukrainian refugees.

He said: “We have only just recently made some changes that are having some impact. We need to allow these changes to bed in.”

Elsewhere, up to 100 people who were queuing outside the International Protection Office (IPO) on Mount Street on Thursday were told they could not be given accommodation.

Applicants were given letters stating that “due to the accommodation shortage” in the International Protection Accommodation System (IPAS), “no further offers of accommodation can be made at this time”.

They were told their details were recorded and they would be contacted when accommodation became available.

The latest figures published by the Department of Integration on Tuesday stated that there were 1,839 single male asylum seekers who were awaiting offers of accommodation. This was before the 290 men were moved from Mount Street on Wednesday morning as part of the joint operation.

Taoiseach Simon Harris told the Dáil on Tuesday that once the Mount Street tent encampment was taken down, it was not envisaged that it would be reerected.

Barriers were put up on the roads outside the IPO on Mount Street on Wednesday and Thursday to stop tents being erected.

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