Cabinet set to approve millions of euro to fund refugee accommodation
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CABINET IS SET to sign off on a funding boost worth millions for refugee accommodation projects tomorrow.
It’s understood another facility similar to that of Citywest is being finalised for use.
The Department of Integration previously said it had flagged that a significant portion of the Thornton Hall site in North County Dublin could be made available if deemed suitable for the accommodation needs by the responsible bodies.
The Thornton Hall site is still being assessed for use, it’s understood.
The 156-acre site in north Dublin is owned by the Department of Justice.
Since 2005, the State has spent millions of euro on the site, where a proposed new ‘super prison’ was to be built, but never proceeded.
The move to make further funding available for refugee accommodation comes after Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman in January wrote to all ministers to renew his call for urgent help in finding vacant buildings to house refugees.
O’Gorman had asked for sports centres, conference facilities, arts centres, student leisure centres and any other large buildings that are “deemed safe” to house refugees.
The Citywest Transit Hub, which has been used for emergency accommodation, closed to new arrivals in January.
While Citywest is closed to new arrivals, it will remain open for all other matters, including processing of accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.
Last month, Minister of State for Integration Joe O’Brien said that the State was facing a “pinch-point” over the lack of accommodation and that all Government departments need to work together to provide support.
An incorporal Cabinet meeting will be held tomorrow where ministers are expected to sign off on the funding boost.
Cabinet is also set to sign off on additional resources for a new team that seeks to communicate better with local representatives and communities around the allocation of refugees.
The plan was agreed at last Thursday’s sub Cabinet committee on Ukraine, with Cabinet set to sign off tomorrow on a staffing and media budget.
As reported by The Journal last week, a senior officials group had begun drafting a communications plan to deal with the timing of the release of information safely to communities and local representatives.
The new communications plan is hoped to prevent future protests about the housing of refugees by providing more clarity to local areas and local politicians.