TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has acknowledged it is “very traumatic” for Ukrainian refugees being moved to alternative accommodation at short notice.
He said people should be given as much notice as possible if they need to be moved.
Ukrainian families living in a Co Louth hotel were given 48 hours to transfer to alternative accommodation in Limerick and Kerry.
On Sunday, his first day back in the role of taoiseach, Mr Varadkar attended a Christmas lunch for about 100 Ukrainian men, women and children organised by the Irish Red Cross and promoter Harry Crosbie at Dublin’s Vicar Street.
Children sang songs in Ukrainian helped along by Santa Claus.
Mr Varadkar said that for the majority of people Christmas is a wonderful time but it can be very difficult for others.
“I’m very much thinking of the Ukrainians who have arrived in Ireland this year, particularly Ukrainian children for whom this will be their first Christmas away from home,” he said.
“I just want to take the opportunity to drop in and say hello, remind them that they are very welcome in Ireland and that we will do everything to make sure that they feel welcome and continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to secure its independence and secure its democracy.”
Mr Varadkar said he believes many of the Ukrainians who have fled their country since the outbreak of war will stay in Ireland long-term.
“It’s becoming increasingly obvious to people that this war could go on for some time. And very many of the Ukrainians who have come here are probably here to stay,” he said.
He said the government will start making plans for longer-term accommodation and will be “accelerating” the modular housing programme in the new year to increase the supply of accommodation.
“We’ll see the first of those in the new year, and I think that can help us into the future,” he said.
Asked what he will do to help refugees who are being asked to move at short notice, Mr Varadkar said he would look into the matter.
“My feeling is that if people have to be moved, and sometimes they do, it’s important to give them as much notice as possible because particularly if families and children have to move schools, that can be very traumatic, so I will make inquiries about it,” he said.
RTÉ News reported that one resident of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dundalk had been given a letter to say they would be moved to Limerick, while others have been told they will be transferred to Tralee and Killarney in Co Kerry.
Their supporters have urged authorities to give them more time to secure somewhere to live in the same area. It is understood that most have been living in the hotel since March, including 19 children attending the area’s schools.
Since being told of the deadline on Friday, Emily Woodcock, who is supporting the group, said two offers of accommodation have already been made by those willing to host them.
“The main thing we need is time,” she said.
The Republic’s Department of Children warned on Friday that “procurement of additional accommodation will be very challenging for the period up to January 13”.
In the letter given to refugees in Dundalk on Friday night, they were told it was “not possible to facilitate requests for accommodation of a certain type or in a specific location except on specific medical or disability grounds as verified by the Health Service Executive”.
