A GROUP OF 46 Ukrainians who’ve been told they must leave their accommodation in Co Waterford have written to the Department of Integration seeking for them to put a stay on the decision.
They have been joined in the effort by owner of the Sands Hotel in Tramore – in use to accommodate Ukrainians since the early days of the war – which has told the department that it will “lower our rates to avoid further displacement’ of Ukrainian refugees.
The residents had received letters this week informing them they must leave the hotel and it’s understood they will need to vacate in two weeks.
In the letters, seen by The Journal, the 46 adult residents say that while they understood the accommodation would be temporary, they have built lives for themselves in Waterford and that finding new accommodation will be extremely difficult for the majority of people.
The decision making of the department has come under the spotlight in recent weeks after a Dublin school intervened to try to prevent the transfer of a child with “signs of trauma” to a new centre in Tipperary.
There are 17 children among the group, making it 63 people in total at the Sands Hotel.
The residents cite the housing crisis and a serious shortage of housing in the popular seaside town, meaning that a good deal of them may have to leave the area entirely.
A breakdown of their prospects says that any forced move will likely result in 18 adults losing their jobs and another eight will lose their college place. A further 12 children will have to move school if the transfer goes through.
In a statement, a department spokesperson told The Journal that while it cannot discuss individual contracts, it confirmed it is currently reducing the number of contracts for accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Its reasons for the reduction in properties include a “decrease in numbers needing accommodation, compliance concerns, value for money and greater oversight of the portfolio” of buildings it uses to house people seeking refuge.
When asked if the department was providing the Ukrainians with alternative accommodation, it said “every effort is being made” to keep those who have fled the war in Ukraine “as local as possible” after they leave their accommodation.
“However, given the number of moves that are taking place, this is not always possible. People affected who wish to stay in the area are welcome to make their own arrangements, including through pledged accommodation,” it said.
“Due to the scale involved, the only factors that can be considered when allocating follow-on accommodation are HSE assessed medical needs.”
The department added that it appreciates that this is “not easy for people and that moving location can be very disruptive” – but it insisted that “at all times the Department was clear that State-funded accommodation is temporary” and subject to change.
A spokesperson for the Causeway Group, the owner-operator of Sands Hotel, said it wants to do its utmost to avoid the displacement of the families.
“This is a disappointing decision by the Government. The Ukrainians living in our accommodations have integrated into the community and a large percentage of them are working in the locality and contributing socially and economically,” the Causeway Group said.
“Even more importantly, their children have been educated in the local schools since March 2022 and have recently returned after the summer break.
“To be told that they now have to leave the area, leave their friends and for their parents to leave their jobs and start all over again seems short-sighted and unfair.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say