Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2023-06-21
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Marc MacSharry (IND), Sligo-Leitrim

With our continuing welcome efforts to assist the Ukrainian people, some issues have arisen. There is the absence of a centralised, uniform European approach to the provision of financial supports and accommodation for Ukrainians fleeing the war and there is a stark difference in supports offered by the EU 26 and the UK compared with the extensive supports available in this country. There is also a chaotic and reckless approach by Government to procuring accommodation for this purpose; one which is, at times, at the expense of the housing needs of families and students living, working and studying in this country.
A flawed tender was issued by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and won by a UK-based fund that owns student accommodation at Benbulben Court and Milligan Court in Sligo to house Ukrainian refugees, in the latest manifestation of our at times absurd approach. Will the Minister inform the House whether this tender is set to progress to contract, thus displacing 500 students, which constitutes 25% of student accommodation available to support the Atlantic Technological University, ATU, Ireland's newest university?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2023-06-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:03+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-06-21