THE GOVERNMENT HAS extended its contract with the company that is currently providing tented accommodation to hundreds of Ukrainians in Stradbally, Co Laois, so that 950 asylum seekers can be housed there over the next 32 weeks.
In a letter sent to local councillors today, the Department of Integration said that asylum seekers will continue to be housed in tents on the site for the next two weeks – through stormy weather – but will thereafter be housed in “own-door, en-suite, heated and insulated cabins”.
The Department said that these “cabins” will be enclosed within “large marquee-type structures that are also heated, and contain all “ancillary facilities”.
It is not clear if the cabins will be made from similar materials to the “marquee-type structures”, or if they will be constructed from different materials.
The site is to be surrounded by secure fencing, and it will be in a different area to the current tented accommodation. It will house an additional 200 people compared to the capacity of the previous site at Stradbally.
The previous contract for tented accommodation was due to expire tomorrow. Local councillors were informed of the contract extension for the first time today.
The Department said that all “statutory requirements” relating to the establishment and management of emergency accommodation are “being met by the service provider”, including health and safety, fire, building regulations and other standards.
The people staying at the site are Ukrainians who are temporary protection beneficiaries in Ireland. The Government briefing note on the contract extension says that they will stay at the accommodation for “a number of weeks”, and will have access to “support services” to aid their independence, integration and adjustment to life here.
In the document provided to councillors, the Department describes the cabins as “a series of enclosed marquee-type structures, containing arrays of own-door cabin-type accommodation”.
It adds that the cabins will be enclosed within a marquee structure that will have a cassette floor system and rigid wall panelling throughout, complete with doors, glass panels and ramps.
Hot catered meals will be provided as well as an on-site paramedic service, shower and toilet facilities in each cabin, self-service laundry facilities, indoor dining facilities, outdoor recreational facilities, and hot water and heating.
The facility will be operated by Pastures New Limited which the Department says is managed by people with experience in “large scale event development”.
The Department said that Stradbally Estate will be a winter-ready temporary and emergency accommodation site, and that there will be “no need for additional school places”.
In September of this year, Minister of State for Integration Joe O’Brien said that the use of the tented accommodation that has been housing people at Stradbally over the last 6 weeks could only be a “very short term measure”.
O’Brien said that no one would spend more than three weeks in the tents at a time.
The Government has been making efforts to house an unprecedented number of people arriving in the country who are fleeing the war in Ukraine, and those seeking asylum from other countries.
Since February 2022, this has amounted to 97,510 people seeking refuge through State-provided or pledged accommodation. This includes over 73,000 Ukrainians and over 24,000 people from other countries seeking international protection.
In the last six months there has been an average of 600 people seeking accommodation every week.
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