Ireland provided emergency accommodation to over 60,000 people as part of the whole-of-government response to the war in Ukraine, supported by local authorities and communities. The need to accommodate displaced persons from Ukraine is continuously decreasing, while many people are choosing to move on from state-supported accommodation or leave Ireland. State accommodation contracts may also be ending where compliance issues arise or where the owner chooses to end their contract.
Because the department must ensure value for money and an effective system overall, this means some people will be moved to other locations if they still require state-contracted accommodation. Properties can return to private use, tourism or student use, and a small share may be used for international protection accommodation.
The department is ending contracts in a range of centres for various reasons:
- Reduced need overall and the facility can return to tourism, student or private use;
- End of the contract;
- Compliance concerns* exist or rates could not be agreed. ( * Compliance concerns arise when a provider is not meeting the required standards of service. They might include health, safety and wellbeing concerns for residents, incorrect charges by providers or unregulated secondary properties).
The department will be sending updates, through the accommodation providers, to residents who will be affected, to let them know that the contract is ending with that provider. They will receive notice at least 30 days in advance, up to 2 months if possible. It will inform them that if they wish to continue to receive state-funded accommodation, it will be provided in another location. The department will also inform people of their options to source their own accommodation if they wish to stay in the area, either through the pledge and Offer a Home schemes, subject to availability or privately using supports available to them such as rent supplement. All residents who request continued state accommodation will be moved.
Out of the 400 Ukraine accommodation closed in 2024, 11 centres moved to provide international protection accommodation.
Of the properties above, two have commenced contracts for international protection accommodation in 2025. 4 other properties have expressed an interest in providing international protection accommodation, for whose appraisal processes are ongoing.