Government asks sports clubs to provide refuge

MORE sporting venues have been asked to house refugees as the Government struggles to cope with the number of Ukrainians arriving in Ireland.

More than 43,000 Ukrainians have sought refuge here since the Russian invasion in February and it is expected that more than 50,000 will have arrived by the middle of August.

After refugees slept in the Aviva stadium in Dublin last week, the Department of Sport has asked Ireland’s major sport venues to host them.

More than 29,000 refugees are in serviced accommodation such hotels and B&Bs, while 2,700 are in pledged accommodation and others have sought their own.

And 5,000 beds in student accommodation will no longer be available in a few weeks when the next academic year begins.

Religious buildings, modular homes and vacant properties are also being considered as the Government tries to find accommodation.

The Department of Children said it was looking for accommodation across the country and has so far contracted some 400 providers.

John Lannon, CEO of human rights group Doras, told the Irish Daily Mail that better planning is needed to find long-term solutions.

‘We recognise that the response across the country in Ireland has been very positive to people who have arrived from Ukraine. There has been a great outpouring of support for people. ‘But the fact that we are depending on temporary accommodation like this highlights the fact that we don’t have sufficient planning around the provision of accommodation. We need to have better coordination and we need better leadership and better planning.’ Mr Lannon said potential measures for long-term accommodation could include placing refugees with families and asking people to let out holiday homes after the summer. ‘There is no silver bullet. But there are a range of options that should be looked into more seriously. As people are put in more temporary or substandard accommodation or complicated settings, the welfare of people is a concern.’ An FAI spokesman said the organisation was committed to supporting Ukrainians in any way that it can. A spokeswoman for the Department of Sport said: ‘The department made contact with the FAI, GAA, IRFU and Sport Ireland to seek their assistance in providing emergency short-term accommodation for people seeking humanitarian shelter in Ireland.’ The Department said it could not comment further as discussions between the Department of Sport and sporting bodies are continuing.