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Ukrainian refugees getting onto buses in the Polish town of Prezmysl. Niall O'Connor

Modular homes on State land among 'emergency measures' being considered for Ukrainian refugees

The Irish Red Cross have said that approximately 75% of the pledges are for shared accommodation.

LAST UPDATE | 10 Mar 2022

THE GOVERNMENT HAS said it may use “emergency measures” to quickly build modular homes to cater for the people fleeing here from Ukraine. 

According to the Irish Red Cross, nearly 12,000 people have so far pledged accommodation to Ukrainian refugees but various other options are being considered. 

There is no definitive number on how many refugees may come to Ireland but ministers have said it may number in the tens of thousands. 

Among the housing proposals being considered are hotels, modular homes on State land and even Defence Forces facilities. 

Modular homes are rapid-build accomodation but in the past they have been criticised for not being value for money in the long-term. 

Speaking in the Dail today, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said that “different rules” may have to be applied to provide the accommodation required. 

“We are going to have to act with real speed.  In some instances, that will require the likes of modular housing and applying different rules to what we would ordinarily apply in the planning system,” he said. 

We are going to have to act with real speed.  In some instances, that will require the likes of modular housing and applying different rules to what we would ordinarily apply in the planning system.   

Ryan was responding to questions from Gary Gannon TD of the Social Democrats who had said that there is a  “a chronic lack of properties at the moment”.  

The minister also spoke about the educational needs of children who have arrived and will be arriving here, stating that work is ongoing to allow Ukrainian teachers enter the education system. 

The Ukrainian Minister for Education is talking to our Minister and our Teaching Council to see how Ireland could employ some of the Ukrainian teachers who are coming in, to see how quickly we could establish classes that will give them flexibility in maintaining the Ukrainian curriculum, or to work with our Polish and other colleagues to ensure there is connection between how they are taught in the first number of weeks they may be there before they come to Ireland.  

 

Pledges

The moves come as it was revealed that 11,902 Irish households have pledged to provide accommodation to Ukrainian refugees. Counties Dublin and Cork have the highest recorded pledges, with 2,149 and 1,327 pledges respectively.

The Irish Red Cross has said that approximately 75% of the pledges are for shared accommodation where people have a room to spare.

Donations to the Red Cross have also topped €14 million so far.

A spokesperson for the Irish Red Cross said that they have been “blown away” by the generosity shown by people so far.

“The Irish Red Cross have been blown away by the generosity of the Irish people both from an accommodation pledge point of view and for donating money, they have been simply astonishing,” the spokesperson said.

“We have almost 12,000 pledges of accommodation since just last Friday when we had just 180 offers and to put it in context, it took a few months to reach 1,000 pledges during our Syrian refugee campaign a few years ago.”

Yesterday, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said that there were approximately 400 Ukrainian refugees arriving into Ireland every day.

It comes as the number of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country due to the Russian invasion today hit 2,316,002, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

This is an increase of 160,731 compared to figures released by the UN yesterday.

“UNHCR needs about $500 million for its emergency work in Ukraine and neighbouring countries,” the agency’s chief Filippo Grandi tweeted Thursday.

“So far we have received over $300 million, of which almost $200 million from individuals, companies and foundations.

“This is unprecedented: a sign of extraordinary solidarity with the people of Ukraine.”

In Kyiv, half the population of the city has fled since the war broke out on 24 February, according to its mayor Vitali Klitschko.

In a televised statement, Klitschko said that “one in two Kyiv residents has left the city”.

“A little less than two million people have currently left. However, Kyiv has been transformed into a fortress. Every street, every building, every checkpoint has been fortified.”

The total population of Kyiv was around 3.5 million in 2021, according to the website citypopulation.de.

Additional reporting by Rónan Duffy and AFP

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    May 1st 2017, 7:47 PM

    Well done Siobhán a great article. Respect and I wish you well on your next steps.

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    Mute Declan Hedderman
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    May 1st 2017, 7:45 PM

    siobhan brady you are a beautiful soul

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    Mute Gary Doggett
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    May 1st 2017, 8:04 PM

    Well done Siobhán, it’s very brave to articulate your difficulties in this way. Hopefully others will be encouraged to seek help too.

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    Mute Marie Gunbay
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    May 1st 2017, 8:15 PM

    I take my hat off to you Siobhan what an inspiration you are to people with mental health issues.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    May 1st 2017, 7:39 PM

    Mental illness was very prevalent in this country for years – but hidden and denied. Like being anti-Catholic, gay or a West brit…

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    Mute lavbeer
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    May 1st 2017, 8:39 PM

    @Paul Foot: or being an arsehole maybe?

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    May 1st 2017, 11:37 PM

    @lavbeer: You’ll find, Arseholes are needed and you’d be f%*ked without one.

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    Mute ChuckE
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    May 1st 2017, 9:32 PM

    A brilliant article and eye-opener. If more people could open up like you I’m sure many more could be helped

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    Mute B Collins
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    May 2nd 2017, 12:58 AM

    And fair play to the teacher who stepped up and supported her.

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    Mute 6ljJQRRU
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    May 1st 2017, 11:27 PM

    I think mental health issues are now understood which is positive There’s articles on it every day. What’s overlooked is I always feel sorry for family in this situation. They have to endure a lot often their own lives are put on hold. I think their needs should be recognised prominently as well especially that there can be other stressful things going on in their lives e.g. money worries, medical problems, elderly care etc.

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    May 1st 2017, 11:40 PM

    @6ljJQRRU: I think, some of it or most is due to society and how we live. We are social creatures, living in a toxic environment and greed drives it.

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    Mute Patricia Tsouros
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    May 2nd 2017, 6:29 AM

    You are certainly a force breaking the stigma around mental health. Excellent personal article, well done.

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    Mute Leeann Amy Bryan
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    May 2nd 2017, 4:31 PM

    Well done Siobhan, great article. V. Inspirational best of luck with whatever the future holds.

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    May 3rd 2017, 4:24 AM

    Good woman Siobhain and fair play for your honesty and to Seechange also for support. World inside our heads most often does us far more damage than the world outside our heads. Guy on a plane in California once said that to me and he was a silicon valley guru one of the originals. Stayed with me ever since. Find it useful to recall quite often. Reframing and repackaging one’s own thoughts can greatly ease (dis)stress and promote eustress.

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    Mute Cathy O Rourke
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    May 5th 2017, 1:01 AM

    I would just like to thank you for this article. It has helped a small way to me understanding depression even though I have suffered bouts of it as well and am on medI cation now.. i was an adult when i began to get it. How utterly isolating and lonely it must have been for you at 13 to deal with this. I wish you the very best in life and keep up the writing. Cathy

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    Mute Fisher Jackson
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    May 3rd 2017, 5:28 AM

    I know people will be complaining about their marriage, and their relationship, especially the women, they usually complain about their husband does not love them anymore, their husband is cheating on them and even their husband left them, but my case was similar to theirs, my name is Sonia Walker, I am from Texas, USA, I had a very similar case with theirs, my husband, Walker left me with my two kids, for no reason, he said he does not love me anymore, he left for about 5 years, he never called me even my kids, I had a friend, Anita, she had a case similar to mine but her husband is now with her, I told her my problems I was facing, she told me about a great man that helped her to solve her problems, she introduced me to the great Baba ubeji, a man with great powers and kindness, he told me that my problems will be solved, so I believed, then after one week, it was unbelievable my husband came to me asking me for forgiveness, I accepted him, he has changed some much since when he came back, I just want to thank, the great Baba ubeji for his understanding and love, my friends if you are facing similar problems with me and even some other problem just email him at greatbabaubeji@gmail.com

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    Mute Evolution Temple
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