Ireland will face further imminent difficulties accommodating refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere when hotels look to use their rooms for tourism purposes again, a Fianna Fáil meeting was told on Wednesday night.
Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman addressed the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parties on Wednesday evening to update them on the situation in relation to accommodating those fleeing the war.
One source said Mr O’Gorman emphasised that there would be difficulties ahead as contracts with hotels are due to expire and some hotels have indicated they want to use their rooms for those looking to holiday.
Mr O’Gorman is understood to have set out the wider context on refugees from Ukraine and those seeking international protection, with the Department of Integration now providing accommodation for about 62,000 people. Some 45,000 of those are Ukrainian and almost 17,000 are in direct provision. This compares with 7,500 last year.
Mr O’Gorman also outlined the structures now in place in the department to sustain the accommodation effort for the 150 to 200 people arriving daily, as well as those in the country. It is understood he told the meetings that the Government is now developing a database to track offers of large-scale accommodation, with a “new outward facing portal” that will help with submitting properties, screening them and advancing those which can be operationalised quickly.
Urging elected representatives to work with his department as the refugee effort continues, Mr O’Gorman also thanked the public for their help.
Varadkar’s FG address
Meanwhile Tánaiste Leo Varadkar used a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party to reassure TDs and Senators that the country has the necessary financial reserves to deal with quickly changing global events on the jobs markets.
“We cannot take jobs or investment for granted. We have financial reserves but we also need the right environment to ensure investment with good economic and pro-jobs and pro-trade policies,” Mr Varadkar told the meeting.
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys also outlined further cost-of-living measures kicking in from next week including a disability payment of €500, a fuel allowance lump sum of €400, a working family payment of €500, the living alone allowance of €200 and a carer’s grant of €500.
Earlier, the Government confirmed the Taoiseach’s position would change hands on December 17th. The initial plan had been for Mr Varadkar to return to the Taoiseach’s office on December 15th — however, that date clashes with the last European council meeting of the year.
While the Republic could have deputised another member state to attend in its place, it was seen as strategically and symbolically important that Taoiseach Micheál Martin would attend as head of Government.
The topic of the changeover was raised during the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting. Carlow-Kilkenny TD John Paul Phelan is understood to have asked several questions about why Mr Martin could not vacate the post sooner to allow Mr Varadkar to take the reins on the day that had previously been agreed, December 15th. However, Mr Varadkar is understood to have told the meeting that he has no problem with the slight delay and does not regard it as an issue.
Separately, sources have indicated that Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, who is due to go on maternity leave in the coming weeks, will remain in her role and not be reshuffled into another department. She will become a Minister without portfolio, her responsibilities reassigned to another Minister while she remains on maternity leave.
