Ukrainians in Laois not affecting homeless accommodation says council

The "influx" of Ukrainians to Laois who have fled for their lives from the Russian invasion, has had no ill effect on homeless accommodation in Laois.

So Laois County Council's Director of Services for Housing, Angela McEvoy has stated this week.

"There is not any premises that would have been used for temporary homeless being used for Ukrainians. They are accommodated through a different stream. Those are through contracts," Ms McEvoy said.

Sinn Féin Cllr Aidan Mullins had asked if they are affecting Laois homeless people, at the September council meeting where the latest figures were given.

"You referenced 307 people staying here because of the problem in Ukraine. I totally support that. But I know of a particular case where there was no space in emergency accommodation for a family. The influx of refugees, is that impacting? It's not an 'us or them'," he said.

Latest Laois homeless figures show 15 children and 18 adults living in temporary emergency accommodation.

There are 675 Ukraine citizens staying in Laois.

The council has found temporary accommodation for 307 of them, in hotels, guesthouses and hostels, assisting the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).

"Many others have also come into the county by their own means, some residing with families and others accommodated by the various parishes.

"We continue to play our role in the Ukrainian resettlement programme, we have 675 at the mement and we continue to support that," the council CEO John Mulholland said this week.

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They say that there is "constant movement in and out of the county" and that they have also given details of vacant buildings and a site suited for medium to long term accommodation, to the Department of Housing.

"Private accommodation via Red Cross and other pledges has accommodated 30 persons (nine households). The matching of Ukrainian nationals to shared pledged accommodation in county Laois is ongoing," the council states.

The council established a Ukrainian Crisis Multi Agency Response Forum, that includes 44 members from 23 different groups. It has met eight times so far and is supported by bodies like An Garda Síochána, TUSLA and LOETB as well as communities.