AROUND 4,500 refugees from Ukraine are currently staying in hotel accommodation.

The number was confirmed by Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman today, as it is his department that’s securing the initial facilities for people who have fled Ukraine due to the Russian invasion.

Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1, O’Gorman said that the government is planning for a further escalation of the numbers of incoming refugees.

“I think we have to be ready in case there’s a sudden surge of people arriving at our ports and airports. And in a crisis situation like this, that’s a possibility we have to plan for,” he said. Asked about using a location like the Green Glens Arena or the National Show Centre near Dublin Airport for temporary accommodation due to the numbers arriving, he said that “would be a location where we could move people out of Dublin Airport, give them food, provide them somewhere to rest in the short term while we’re looking for hotel accommodation for them”.

He said that at the moment, these locations would be used for very short-term stays.

O’Gorman said that over the last two weeks, the department has been looking to locate people wherever it can find hotel accommodation all over the country. “In towns, in cities in rural areas and in urban areas,” he said. The aim has been to find somewhere for people to go once they arrive in Ireland. 

Around 450 people have been arriving from Ukraine into Ireland every day

The Minister also said that the department is looking to continue to grow the number of hotel rooms that it has, “recognising the fact that we are likely to see increased number numbers of people arriving in the days and weeks ahead”.

Currently, around 4,500 people are accommodated in hotels across the country. 

O’Gorman said that the Defence Forces has been working with the government and the Red Cross in terms of activating the accommodation pledges that have been made via the Red Cross. It has also been looking to visit locations to make sure accommodation is suitable for refugees when they move in.

He said that all government departments are working closely together to look at what the longer term accommodation options are for refugees. 

There were around 20,000 pledges of accommodation from people via the Red Cross site, and O’Gorman’s department is looking to make a significant amp-up in drawing down these offers from next week. 

They are starting with the offers of vacant homes within the next two to three weeks, before following that with the offers of shared accommodation. 

Of the 20,000 pledges, around 2,000 properties are fully vacant. A small number were drawn down this weekend and it is hoped to significantly ramp that up. 

“I think everybody sees the magnitude of what is going on in Ukraine,” said O’Gorman.

The people as a country have really risen to this moment to do all they can to give people shelter. The government will be rising to this particular challenge and doing what’s necessary to ensure that accommodation can be provided for Ukraine refugees.

He also said that the department of education will be working closely with the other government departments as part of the response.

“Ukraine children will have full access to our education system,” he said. He said they will make available all necessary supports to ensure that Ukrainian children are able to take part in the education system.

It was confirmed today by the UN that over 10 million refugees from Ukraine have fled their homes due to the ongoing invasion by Russia – around a quarter of the population.