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THE IRISH GOVERNMENT will use emergency planning powers to provide accommodation for people fleeing Ukraine, according to junior minister Damien English.
An estimated 600 people have arrived into Ireland from the war torn country in the past week, with Ireland currently expected to provide for 20,000 refugees as Russia’s invasion continues.
While hundreds of people have pledged to take in refugees, the longer term response from Ireland will see the use of emergency planning powers and the use of vacant properties and hotels.
English told RTÉ Radio One’s Saturday with Katie Hannon that the Government is at the “early stages” of the measures, adding they will be needed as the crisis unfolds.
“We will looking at vacant properties, we’ll be looking at hotels and other forms accommodation, temporary accommodation, and more structured accommodation,” he said.
“We will be able to use emergency powers if need be under planning laws and supports coming through Europe as well to respond to this.”
English said similar powers have been used before for providing accommodation for homeless people and said it was important that Ireland is ready to take in refugees.
The response will become “more coordinated” with “percentages allocated to every country” in Europe, English added.
“I think it’s right that Europe has opened its doors,” he said. “Anybody I speak to from around the country would say this is an important response first of all, building on the sanctions, building on the support.
“So this is the next move. That will make it easy for people in Ukraine to come and live here and work here temporarily.”
Speaking on the same programme, Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council said there is no capacity in the Direct Provision system for asylum seekers but said it was “really positive” to see the Government’s stance on accommodation for Ukrainian people.
“It’s imperative that we all try to identify a different additional sources of accommodation in various ways.
“But the critical issue will be – and it was really positive to see the government saying this very explicitly this week – that a Ukrainian who arrives who needs accommodation, will get that accommodation at the airport.”
He said two-thirds of the queries received by the council has been people stating they need accommodation for a number of weeks at least.
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Even as a man in his forty’s i find the Harry Potter books a great read. I’ve read them all a couple of times and will prob read them again in the coming weeks / months.
@John Thomas: seconded, reading them again at the moment
@Keith Fay: Or The Hobbit, great character development in one read.
@John Thomas: give a look out for the peter grant series, think Harry Potter meets the Bill, the 1st book is the rivers of London
I’ve made mine free on Kindle for those in lockdown. Not much, but hopefully it’ll help some people pass the time. (This genuinely isn’t a plug for sales’ sake by the way – they’re completely free, so enjoy!)
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams..if that doesn’t crack you up from the first page,not sure what would.
@GaMran: Couldn’t agree more. HHGTTG was what inspired me to pick up the pen. Well, the keyboard anyway, although I didn’t actually pick it up. I did pull out those little stands at the back though if that counts?
@GaMran: if you haven’t come across them then the murderbot diaries are worth a go
Any of the Ross O’Carroll Kelly books are funny and a bit of (much needed) candy floss for the brain. (I’m sure someone will be along to tell me otherwise)
The journal comments section.
The Stand by Stephen King
@Aldo: I was going to suggest most books by Stephen King, but maybe not The Stand all things considered! Too much like non-fiction right now.
@Larkin Cunningham: Station Eleven by Emily St John has an eerily similar story to the present pandemic. Going to re read this again.
Anything by Terry Pratchett (although I’m avoiding Interesting Times, for obvious reasons). To Kill a Mockingbird. Jane Eyre. Rebecca… I read about a book a day, so…
@Felicity Rawson: totally agree on terry Pritchett. So clever and so funny, going to re-read one now I’ve read your comment
@Felicity Rawson: STP and Douglas Adams were what inspired me to start writing. Unadulterated genius (them, not me).
@John Drake – Satirical Author: *genii
@Felicity Rawson: Love Pratchett, especially the ones featuring Granny Weatherwax. Saw him speak once in Dublin and he said she was loosely based on his own granny, who loved having some time to herself to read & hated being interrupted by neighbours dropping in. She’d wave them off with “Call again – but not too soon!”
Orwell’s 1984 always leaves me feeling fuzzy :P
Have so many because I eat books… James Patterson. Michael Connolly would be top of my list..
@sally reid: love Michael Connolly. Harlan Coben is excellent also
@Brian Dunne: must try him next so.. Thank you
@sally reid: enjoy! Lucky you if you haven’t read any of his yet!
Pride & Prejudice – anything by Jane Austen really and all the Harry Potter books.
Educated by Tara Westover. Excellent read
Anybody for the Bible? nothing like the old testament to get you through a pandemic.
@Modern Irish Dad: Ya some of the most influential fiction is in the bible.
@Mjhint: yes much better putting your faith in modern medicine at the moment rather than the church.
@Modern Irish Dad: I agree. If you get the corona virus the only reason you would be in a church is to store your body. Medical science will sort this. There’s apparently a cure already which is under going tests. If that’s true the church had nothing it. Keep the spirits up. I’m on my was to Switzerland with medical freight. Haven’t seen my kids in 6 weeks and unlikely to see them for another 4 months if I survive but I trust the science. Take care.
@Mjhint: your a hero in my mind and I am sure your kids think your a hero as well. Be safe out there.
@Modern Irish Dad: no not a hero. Just a working class man providing for my family just like any other dad. It’s my children who are hero’s. They must endure the fear of uncertainty and they do it with such bravery they make me proud.
Any book by John Connolly and Richard Russo.
The Adrian Mole books, absolutely hilarious every time I read them!
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
Atonement by Ian McEwan
@Paul O’Sullivan: Mrs. Dalloway is like the literary equivalent of eating a bar of chocolate! Absolutely delicious reading!
Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and anything by Bill Bryson. But am currently reading The Stand. It’s comforting because it’s so much worse than this.
@Robin A Richardson: Thanks, I’m going to reread Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, it was very funny.
Reading where the crawdads sing and I’m hooked!
@Helen O’Neill: It’s super! Gets better as you read further in. Enjoy
@Helen O’Neill: it’s a great read, enjoy!
Have to say the Ross O’Carroll-Kelly books are a major source of escapism and humour. Big fan of Irvine Welsh’s stuff too and love anything to do with history. Anything to distract myself from you know what!
@Michael Hannan: it would be interesting to hear is response to that petition about the senior cup.
That they may face the rising sun – John McGahern
All Jane Austen
All Richard Ford
A Wrinkle in Time – Madeliene L’engle
Mythos – Stephen Fry. Its good on audiobook
@Damon16: listening to it at the moment!
Lord of the rings, erotic books, post apocalyptic fiction
@Ross: I’m confused and intrigued, more of your literary fusion please!
I love a good sports autobiography. I’m currently reading Mike Tyson’s, very intriguing and troubled character.
Tom Sharpe a comic genius, sometimes i need a little light relief, in this time especially
Brideshead Revisited
Anything by Marian Keyes.Also Needful things by Stephen King and anything by Oscar Wilde…paticularly the Happy Prince which makes me cry everytime.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
To Kill A Mockingbird. My favourite book of all time. Plus nice to see undiluted decency and proper moral righteousness.
Nigella Lawson cookery books … heaven
Ready Player One by Ernst Cline for a bit of escapism.
Any of the later Ross O’Carroll Kelly, NAMA Mia and Keeping with up the Kalashnikovs are very good
Anything by Sigmund Freud
The great Bill Hicks “what you reading for?’
Hillary Mantel’s 3rd long awaited book in the Thomas Cromwell series. So huge it will last months!
@Shelley Keary: What, she has a third book out? I’m rereading the first two, thanks for this.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: We thought she was being tardy and actually just plain lazy! We don’t think so now! I can hardly lift this book!
For a laugh try one of David Mitchell’s books. Really sharp wit.
Swan Song by Robert McCammon
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.
Diana Gabaldon, the Outlander series.
Nevada Barr’s murder mysteries set in various US national parks. She was a park ranger before she started writing.
Chris Ryan : the Code Red series look like good disaster yarns (I only have Wildfire). Dana Stabenow. (Alaska is an escapist setting to me.)
Peter Tremayne, Sister Fidelma series set in Brehon times in ancient Ireland. (At least I know how to pronounce most of the words.)
Homo deus at the moment by yuval Noah hararai.
Jeeves and Wooster by PG Woodhouse……anything from the series. Classic!
Flashman novels of George MacDonald Fraser.
Rereading the murderbot diaries at the mo as the 1st for blown novel is out in May
Magician by Feist, The Jeruselam Man by Gemmell, The Lost Fleet serues by Cobley
This book is brilliant enjoy
Fight Club. I read it once a year to get my anarchist fix.
Reading Joseph O’Connor ‘star of the sea’ again,its a fabulous book,and when I’m finished that I’ve ‘redemption falls’ ready to go,cant wait!
“The Game Changer Formula” – Predictable success for you, your family and your business.
Very relevant today – lots of stuff you can implement during lockdown. Available on amazon
The Bellingwood series by Diane Greenwood Muir. Lovely feel good family stories.
Reading Joseph O’Connor ‘star of the sea’ again,its a fabulous book,and when I’m finished that I’ve ‘redemption falls’ ready to go next.
Read? Like books? Nah
Reading Joseph O’Connor ‘star of the sea’ again,its a fabulous book,and when I’m finished that I’ve ‘redemption falls’ ready to go.
The girl with 7 names is a good read
Game of thrones, John Connolly, Denis Lehane is excellent, James Lee Burke, Irving Walsh. Loved Donna Tarts Secret history, thought the Goldfinch was good but a bit too long, but it might suit atm.
Michael Connelly, Harlen Coben are favourites too, as well as Bernard Cornwell
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