*Ukrainian residents of The Abbey Hostel at a meeting on Tuesday evening.
DISPLACED Ukrainians living in what was formerly the Rowan Tree Hostel have been informed their short-term emergency accommodation is to expire by the end of May.
Residents of The Abbey Hostel this week received correspondence from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth informing them that they must relocate on or before May 24th. This follows negotiations between the Department and the accommodation provider.
In correspondence from the Department issued to residents which has been obtained by The Clare Echo, it outlined, “arrangements for your next accommodation are being finalised. You will receive a letter through the manager of your current accommodation shortly that will include details of your new accommodation. Please note transfers take place usually within days of this letter issuing so please prepare yourself for this.
“Unfortunately due to the challenges we are facing in Ireland as a result of the very significant numbers of people who have come to Ireland seeking temporary protection and accommodation we cannot respond to requests for accommodation of a certain type or location,” the correspondence added.
Persons that refuse an offer of relocation to alternative suitable accommodation will not receive further offers of accommodation.
Up to 48 hours notice will be provided to residents prior to their transfer to new accommodation, they were advised. “Transport will be provided to you on the day. You can either take this transport or make your own way. If you choose to make your own way you must be at your new accommodation on the date given to you by the Department, if you are not present on this date this will be deemed as a refusal of accommodation”.
Department officials reminded the Ukrainian residents that all accommodation provided is temporary and further moves may occur. “Sometimes we have to move people into shared accommodation, this is only where we have no other option available”. Accommodation will also no longer be provided for pets, the Department stated.
In a statement to The Clare Echo, a spokesperson for the Department outlined, “Temporary accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine was provided at the Abbey Hostel in Ennis. However, all accommodation provided by the Department to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection is temporary in nature and, on occasion, moves are required. The Department appreciates that this can be difficult for those who are relocated”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Hilary Tonge (SD) who is contesting the local elections in the Ennis Municipal District and has worked extensively with Ukrainians in the county town calculated that an approximate 200 Ukrainians who don’t want to leave Ennis will be impacted.
She commented, “My question from the beginning is why are being moved. It is now closing. It has been there for two years”. Fifty of the residents were in the Mná ag Gaire shed on Ennis and were reeling with the correspondence from the Department.
“It is horrible, we shouldn’t be doing this in this day or age,” she said. “It was the darkest moment that I’ve ever had in the shed to have people sitting around like that, they were sad, despondent and begging for help, grown adults begging for help is just horrible”.
Abbey Hostel residents have integrated into the Ennis community, she said. “They have totally integrated with us, a little boy I gave him a pen and paper, he kept writing ‘me CBS’ and next week he won’t be able to do that. They want to stay in Ennis, they could accept being moved to another hotel in Ennis but they have not been promised that”.
Hilary added, “These are people with names and families who have integrated totally in Ennis, Ennis has taken them under their wing, we’ve had loads of different events, they feel safe here”.
