THE DEPARTMENT OF Children has said the State is currently in an emergency response and sometimes moving refugees to other locations is “necessary” to ensure all those fleeing Ukraine can be accommodated.

A number of Ukrainian refugees were given just 15 hours notice that they had to move and take their children out of the schools they were attending.

Approximately 70 refugees staying in the Holiday Inn near Dublin Airport were told late on Wednesday they would be moving in the morning to the City West Hotel in Saggart, Dublin.

The letter given to families by the department, seen by The Journal, said that alternative accommodation had been secured for them. It stated that if children were in schools locally, they would have to be re-enrolled in new schools.

It is understood the refugees had only a few hours to pack up their belongings and say their goodbyes.

Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora Colm Brophy told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne programme that no one wants to see a situation where families are moved at short notice, but added that the State is dealing with an emergency situation.

Brophy said that from time to time, there may be “unacceptable” situations like this arise.

He said that the Government should always seek to improve on processes that will prevent such situations happening again, stating many of the refugees arriving here are already traumatised.

The statement from the department said:

“The State is currently providing accommodation to over 18,650 people who have fled here from Ukraine in recent weeks.

“The accommodation provided to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine by IPAS is temporary in its nature, and given the number of people that are being accommodated it is not possible to develop tailored solutions for individuals or families in this time of acute need.

“In almost all circumstances, Ukrainian refugees are moved only where contracts are coming to an end or where they have been in accommodation reserved for international protection applicants.

“In some instances, refugees had been placed temporarily in accommodation reserved for international protection applicants who urgently need this accommodation.

“The State is currently in an emergency response to the ongoing crisis and such moves are necessary to ensure that applicants for international protection and all those fleeing here from Ukraine can be accommodated.”