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Citywest closes to new arrivals after reaching capacity, refugees may need to overnight in airport

A shortfall of 15,000 beds by December is forecast as the numbers arriving is expected to remain at elevated levels.

NEW ARRIVALS FROM Ukraine and other countries may have to sleep overnight in Dublin Airport as the Citywest facility has now reached capacity. 

Arrivals to the Citywest Transit Hub have now been paused due to the “significant increase in the number of people seeking accommodation in recent weeks”, according to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. 

In a statement this afternoon, the department states:

“In the interests of the welfare of those presently at Citywest awaiting accommodation, a decision has now been taken to pause arrivals to the transit hub until numbers can reduce.”

Over 58,000 people (42,000 Ukrainian, 16,000 International Protection) are now being accommodated in Ireland, said the department. 

Stay overnight at Dublin Airport 

Those arriving at the airport may have to wait there if arriving overnight, where supports will be provided to them by an NGO, said the statement.

Citywest was designed as a reception centre for Ukrainians fleeing war, where arrivals into the country were bused to the complex for processing.

“Should capacity become available, entry to Citywest will be prioritised for families and those with vulnerabilities where this is possible.

“For those arriving into the country as IP applicants or claiming Temporary Protection, if accommodation is not immediately available for them, communications with them will continue and supports will be offered through NGOs where possible.

“All those who have alternative accommodation options are asked to avail of these, including pledged accommodation and to not attend Citywest presently,” said the statement. 

In May, the Government signed off on leasing the Citywest Hotel in Dublin for two years to accommodate Ukrainian refugees.

The department said it is working urgently across Government and with agencies, NGOs and local authorities to bring new accommodation on board so that the State’s humanitarian responsibilities can be met to both IPs and those from Ukraine.

Government officials have also briefed the Ukrainian Embassy today on the developments.

Shortfall of 15,000 beds 

Concerns have also been raised about the access to suitable accommodation in the coming weeks, stating that it is “severely constrained” currently.

Current projections indicate a shortfall of 15,000 beds by December as the number of Ukrainians and IP applicants arriving is expected to remain at elevated levels.

The department said it has contracted approximately 25% of hotel beds in Ireland, alongside hostels, guest houses, pledged accommodation, sports stadiums, scout facilities, tented accommodation and modular units.

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    Mute Alan Flynn
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:42 AM

    As usual trying to put a good spin on Ireland’s figures. Most of our improvement is due to “scambridge” hiring interns.

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:47 AM

    Most countries have internships. My friend is doing one in London.

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    Mute Chris Judge
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:48 AM

    And most of Germanys low figure is accountable due to the fact that they don’t have a minimum hourly wage – I’m not sure if it is the same in Austria. This means people can be working, legally, for nothing. Just another way that a government is trying to hide it’s unemployment rate.

    Although, some quick googling to fact check shows that Germany have actually agreed to introduce a minimum wage by next year – Let’s see if they keep the same low unemployment levels with that.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26851906

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    Mute Chris Judge
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:53 AM

    Bobby, the difference between an internship and the ‘job’bridge interns is that any employer can hire as many job bridge interns as they want, pay them nothing, and then let them go after the time, and then just hire another poor soul to do the exact same job. No promise to keep them on, and in a lot of cases you see, no real value to the internships offered (stacking shelves, washing cars etc.).

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    Mute Alan Flynn
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:00 PM

    Exactly, it’s mostly completely taken advantage of.

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:01 PM

    It is a crap system, but it’s the same in England, graduates doing interns stacking shelves. Recently a graduate was sent to work in a pound shop by the jobcentre to stack shelves. She took them to court and won?

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    Mute Chris Judge
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:04 PM

    So just because they are taking complete advantage of young unemployed people in Britain, it’s grand that we’re doing the same here?

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:07 PM

    Nope, I never said that, just letting you know you’re not alone.

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    Mute Chris Judge
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:09 PM

    Ah sorry, my misunderstanding. I thought you were just trying to justify the system because it happens elsewhere.

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    Mute White Fang
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:14 PM

    Actually, I believe Germany has just introduced a minimum wage (€8.50) in the last few weeks.

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    Mute Chris Judge
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:17 PM

    White Fang, yes I know and linked to an article about it (as it was news to me until I looked it up) in my post above.

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    Mute David Thomas
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:19 PM

    Maybe people should look up the definition of internships. Then compare them to what happens on the jobsbridge scam!

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internship

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    Mute White Fang
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:45 PM

    Sorry Dave, I completely missed that!

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    Mute Tom
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:56 PM

    @alan Most of our improvement is due to high end IT, Pharma and Finance jobs. Basic maths kiddo (which ironically is the reason you wouldn’t get a job in any of those sectors.)

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    Mute Rodger 5
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    May 2nd 2014, 1:42 PM

    Every job in FAS/Solas is for this scam, and scam it is when local auctioneers & solicitors advertising for staff promising a good internship, funded by money stolen from private pension accounts, most vile Government in the history of the state.l

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    Mute Florence Nightingale
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    May 2nd 2014, 2:46 PM

    @Bobby

    I don’t know if it’s the same story, but I read about a woman with a history degree who was serving as a volunteer intern in a museum.

    But her local job centre told her she couldn’t volunteer as that meant she wasn’t “available for work”. They then promptly put her to work in Dealz. And she would lose her dole payment if she refused to take the “job”. So she ended up working a 40 hour week against her will for approx £70.

    Dealz wins. Job centre wins. Everyone but the poor woman who was working towards a more permanent placement in the museum wins.

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    Mute Alan Flynn
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    May 2nd 2014, 5:55 PM

    Thanks for that Tom.

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:24 AM

    The BBC said last week, 26 million people unemployed in the EU

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:32 AM
    18
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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:35 AM

    Bobby what possible reason could Eurostat have for manipulation of the true figures.

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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:18 PM

    26 million unemployed in the EU, 18 million in the Eurozone.

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    Mute White Fang
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:16 PM

    Does anybody have an accurate figure as to what our unemployment rate would look like without the old immigration release valve? I imagine we’d be looking at close to the same rate as Greece. We sure are lucky that we speak English and can ship out all those workers for whom there are no jobs.

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    Mute Tom Rooney
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    May 2nd 2014, 12:39 PM

    18 million jobless in the EU and still hundreds of thousands on non EU migrants are allowed enter Europe looking for work every year…madness

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    Mute Salvage Guy
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:39 AM

    I’d love to know out of that 18.9 million how many are people that never want to work . Freeloaders if you will.

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:42 AM

    With any luck Gilmore will be out of a job soon.

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    Mute Nigel O Keeffe
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:45 AM

    Going by some of the regular trolls….probably 18 million or so..sure who,d want to work when you can live in luxury on the scratcher..and the sort of tripe these idiots post.

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    Mute JOHN
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    May 2nd 2014, 11:59 AM

    The people out of work need help people like you gay only make the situation worse !!

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    Mute Seán O'Sullivan
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    May 2nd 2014, 7:30 PM

    Who are the freeloaders to which you refer? Politicans such as our own, spineless lot? or people in long term unemployment on benefits who require said benefits to survive? We know who gets the blame these days and its the latter.

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    Mute Denise Kinsella
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    May 3rd 2014, 7:11 PM

    Yes its so much fun been on the dole and trying to scrape by on 100euro a week…madness!.and you have the cheek to call us all freeloaders?.funnily enough most of us would rather be working and earning some sort of living for ourselves as opposed to living on peanuts!.

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    Mute Seán O'Sullivan
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    May 3rd 2014, 7:26 PM

    well said Denise. the contempt is disgraceful

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    Mute Denise Kinsella
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    May 3rd 2014, 7:38 PM

    Thank you Sean, I just get tired of hearing how we are all lazy so-and-so’s when its not the case at all…i got laid off a couple of weeks back simply because there wasnt enough work and have had no luck with finding another job

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    May 2nd 2014, 1:59 PM

    At 5000 jobs a month Happy Gilmore will have it sorted in 300 years. On a side note… That labour, 70000 jobs ad (blatant lie) at the bottom is making me sick.

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    Mute Francie Doherty
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    May 2nd 2014, 6:32 PM

    I am glad to see those good for nothing screw balls in Leinster house got them self A3Job .

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