A GROUP OF Ukrainian refugees who are set to be relocated from their current accommodation in Co Cork have asked the Department for Integration for more time to find suitable accommodation.

Some 300 people – mostly women and children – were informed earlier this month they will be removed from a student accommodation facility in Carrigrohane, near Cork city, in early March.

The Department of Integration has said that the relocation order for March had been issued to those living at the Cork Student Village due to a policy change that seeks to return private accommodation to its owners.

A letter dated 12 January, addressed to the Minister and Department of Integration, residents of the facility asked that the relocation order be postponed for three months, until June. The 55 residents who signed the letter said this would give people more time to people to find suitable accommodation.

The group said the extension was necessary given the shortage of rental accommodation and housing stock in the Cork city area, where rents increased by more than 10% last year and priced at an average of €2,077 per month.

“This relocation creates a significant hardship for our families,” the letter of 12 January, seen by The Journal, states.

The residents state that the “sudden change” may impact their children who attend nearby schools, as well as those who have taken up employment locally, and elderly residents who attend medical facilities in the area.

Separately, according to the letter, a large number of residents attend a locally-run English-language class to help them seek employment and integrate into the community.

“Due to the current housing crisis in Ireland, we will need more time to find housing,” the group wrote.

“In view of these circumstances, we would like to request a postponement of the relocation date to June 2025.”

Concern over impact on children

As of today, the group has not received a response from the Department to their request. Residents said it is as yet unclear whether the extension request is being considered.

One resident, Olga, told The Journal that she has been attending local English classes and arrived at the site in September. She and her son fled Kyiv in Ukraine in March 2024.

She said she has had great difficulty finding her own accommodation and has encountered scams while searching for housing.

Separately, humanitarian organisations have told her that they are prioritising housing new arrivals first.

“I’m sorry now that I might not be able to finish my English course and to try find a job – that’s an understatement. Not to mention how stressful this is for a child to change schools again,” she said.

Another resident, Liya, expressed deep concern about the move and the psychological distress it would cause to children. She has one child in fifth class, and is worried about how the move will affect them.

“Changing schools just three months before the year ends is extremely difficult,” she said.

“Even within a Ukrainian-speaking environment, switching social groups is stressful. Moving to an English-speaking school risks blocking a child’s communication skills due to fear and uncertainty.”

No pets or specific location requests

The original notice from the Department to the residents, seen by The Journal, stated that requests to be relocated to specific areas would not be fulfilled, except in cases where there is a serious medical issue, due to existing housing pressures in the country.

Where possible, those who are entitled to state-provided accommodation will be housed at a new facility but the Department said it cannot promise that everyone will be found accommodation near their current place of residence.

Liya, who because of a medical condition must follow a specific diet, said her condition is chronic and manageable. She doubted whether she would be able to make request for accommodation in a specific area.

Residents were also informed that they will no longer be allowed to have pets in their new accommodation, and will have to make “appropriate arrangements” for them.

The Department eminded the residents, in its letter to them, that any accommodation is temporary and they may be moved again in the future.

If accommodation is not accepted by those who are eligible to be housed by the state, there will not be another offer made, the letter stated.

Government statement

In a lengthy statement to The Journal, a spokesman for the Department of Integration confirmed that many privately-owned accommodation sites around Ireland will begin to close in the coming months.

The spokesman said some centres will be closing and that those who are still eligible for state-provided housing will be asked to move to new accommodation. Sources familiar with the issue have confirmed that this is taking place at a number of locations nationwide.

“We appreciate that this is not easy for people and that moving location may be very disruptive,” he said.

“We have always been clear that accommodation of this kind is temporary and is subject to change, due to the very large numbers of people involved and the limited accommodation options.”

There have been a number of similar cases in recent weeks of Ukrainians being told they would be relocated. A group of women and children living in a hotel in Youghal, Co Cork, were also informed today that their request for an extension would be accepted.

A group of about 110 living in a former holiday village in Blessington, Co Cork, were also told earlier this month they would have to move.

Additional reporting by Niall O’Connor, Sasha Romanova and Cormac Fitzgerald.