Ukrainian refugees being accommodated in tents on the grounds of Stradbally Hall in Co Laois are to leave next Tuesday.
The Department of Integration began housing newly arrived Ukrainian families in tents on the site due to what it described as a "significant shortfall in accommodation for those fleeing Ukraine”.
Since September 5th around 30 people daily arrived to the site on the estate of Stradbally Hall which hosts the Electric Picnic annually. Up to 500 Ukrainian refugees have been accommodated on the site.
The Department said a contract for six weeks was made with Thomas Cosby the owner of Stradbally Hall.
A Department spokesperson has now confirmed that currently there are 207 people or “beneficiaries of Temporary Protection” living on the site.
The first 26 Ukrainian refugees moved out of the site after spending a little over two weeks there.
The spokesperson said: “The contract for tented accommodation in Stradbally runs until October 17th and has not been extended.”
'Right decision'
Aisling Moran an Independent councillor in the area said the confirmation that no further refugees would be accommodated on the site “is the right decision and one that I welcome.”
Cllr Moran explained that “it is right and correct that housing of refugees in tents (in Stradbally) is going to end on October 17th.”
She said that the government’s “realisation that the idea of housing people in tents should never be allowed to happen is welcome.”
Cllr Moran noted that “of course, we need to help people from war-torn countries,” but we must look after them in a “humane way.”
“The government should be aware that when the time comes that we can no longer safely and humanely accommodate people in suitable accommodation, then we have to stop and say, that for the moment we have to pause until more safe and appropriate accommodation is made available,” she concluded.
The number of refugees, including Ukrainians being accommodated in tents across the country had reached 749, according to figures at the end of last month.
By Sarah Slater
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