A Waterford TD has questioned whether the standards of accomodation requested to temporarily house Ukrainian refugees in Ireland is potentially 'too high'.
Independent TD Matt Shanahan made the statement in the Dail last night - as he called upon the government to explore the possibility of modular homes for refugees, and to increase their agility in reacting to the humanitarian crisis.
6,000 pledges of accomodation to refugees in Ireland have been declined as they are deemed unsuitable - and Deputy Shanahan says the potential duration of stay for Ukrainian refugees may be deterring people from offering their assistance.
"People may be foregoing rent on summer holiday lets that they are now reconsidering. The potential duration of stay may be a concern for many and the introduction of tenancy rights may be in the minds of some of the 6,000 pledges now declined. In addition, the standards demanded for accommodation provision are possibly too high in the context of many properties that have been offered. People may be also holding off in case the Government decides to financially support pledged arrangements. This is something the Government needs to make a decision on soon, and it needs to announce the outcome of that decision."
Deputy Shanahan also used the opportunity to highlight the fact that Ukrainian HGV drivers have not had their licenses recognised upon arrival in Ireland - which is contrary to measures enacted in Germany. With an estimated shortage of up to 3,000 hauliers in Ireland - the Independent TD says there is an opportunity to integrate refugees into the workplace while combating the crisis in the sector.
"Ukrainian heavy goods vehicle, HGV, licensed hauliers do not have their licences recognised here. Ukrainian car driver licences are recognised, however. Germany has moved to give immediate recognition to Ukrainian HGV licences and these drivers are taking up immediate employment. I ask that the Minister speak to the Department of Transport to question why we cannot follow the lead of Germany and adopt a similar approach that would provide much-needed skilled labour to the transport and logistics sector."
He also called for a designated contact person within local authorities to facilitate outreach activities for refugee groups.
"The Minister mentioned the agility of Ireland's response to the crisis. There is probably much more we can do. In Waterford, a number of community organisations have contacted me with a view to providing outreach activities for Ukrainian visitors. At present, there is no designated contact person to co-ordinate such offers, although I welcome the Minister saying additional staffing is now being provided to local authorities. Many of the visitors coming here wish to work but there is no formalised process to provide work access routes for them."
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