Clare County Council is working towards securing short-term accommodation options for Ukrainian refugees living in this county, should the need arise.
Community facilities have been identified and contacted to ask for their assistance in the event there’s a short-term requirement.
It comes as the CEO of the local authority has admitted that the provision of accommodation through hotels is quite unstable and will not provide a permanent solution to the housing need.
It’s prompted calls from the Chair of the housing committee for long-term strategies to be developed, as Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill reports.
Official figures show Clare is now hosting the 6th highest number of displaced Ukrainians in Ireland, with 4,374 people who fled the war torn country now being accommodated in this county.
The Department of Children and Integration has the lead in the provision of multi-occupancy accommodation, but the local authority has been engaging with accommodation providers to identify alternative local solutions.
Clare County Council has received 97 offers of unoccupied homes under the ‘Offer a Home’ scheme since its launch in December 2022; all 97 homeowners have been contacted and 91 homes have been assessed so far.
Of the homes that have been assessed, 7 are not yet available and 19 have been withdrawn from the scheme, as they were either unsuitable or the homeowner had a change in circumstances.
The Council has successfully matched 42 of the homes and have accommodated 151 people who were living in hotel or multi-unit accommodation in the locality.
Those homes are mainly along the coast, with few properties being offered in urban centres such as Ennis and Shannon, but the council says there’s still interest in the scheme, with homes continually being pledged.
The Ukrainian Services Development Team is finalising a Short-term Temporary Accommodation Plan in the event of a hotel or multi-unit accommodation becoming unusable or in the event of any unforeseen circumstance.
They’re aware that contracts in large accommodation centres may be ending and while the onward provision of accommodation lies with the Department, they recognise the need to be prepared to assist should a short-term need arise locally.
The team has been assisted by the Fire Services Department, Civil Defence and Housing, with community facilities identified and contacted to ask for their assistance in the event three’s a short-term requirement.
Council CEO Pat Dowling admits accommodation provision through hotels cannot and will not be permanent as it’s “quite unstable”, and he believes modular housing could provide a solution.
The Chair of the Council’s housing committee believes this would only provide a short-term solution however.
Shannon Councillor Gerry Flynn is calling for long term strategies to be developed, saying they’re “failing in their job as public representatives” if they “don’t plan ahead”.
Listen to the full interview below
