Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees may be housed at Millstreet Arena in Co Cork

The Government is in talks over housing hundreds of Ukrainian refugees at Millstreet Arena in Co Cork, which could be the first mass accommodation centre for arrivals fleeing the war.

The Department of Equality, responsible for housing refugees from Ukraine after they arrive in the country, is also looking at using the National Show Centre in Dublin as a "spillover" facility associated with the airport.

Sources said the Dublin facility could be used when there is a delay between people arriving in the airport and finding them more stable accommodation, to minimise the chances of being left waiting at the airport.

The Millstreet facility, also known as the Green Glens Arena, is in the town of the same name outside Mallow, near the Cork-Kerry border. Sources indicated the venue, which would need refitting to be suitable for people to live there, could be available from the middle of next month.

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The Government is in discussions with a range of actors over providing accommodation, including religious orders, and is examining its own properties as well as where planning laws can be waived to convert existing structures under emergency powers.

A spokesman for Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman said the Government was contracting accommodation across the country for Ukrainians “as the need arises”.

"Of the 8,300 people who have arrived here, 3,500 have sought accommodation through the International Protection Accommodations Service, " the spokesman said.

“In light of the continued significant numbers of people coming here, the department is contracting all forms of accommodation. In the coming week the department will also begin to utilise accommodation pledged through the Irish Red Cross.”

Some 20,000 properties have been offered through the Red Cross, and the State has about 2,500 hotel rooms.

There was a fall in the number of arrivals before St Patrick’s Day. On March 16th, 429 people arrived from Ukraine, of whom 214 sought accommodation – that compares with 539 arrivals and 338 seeking accommodation the previous day. However, on St Patrick’s Day itself the figures rose to 657 arrivals, with 417 seeking accommodation.

Russian vessels

Elsewhere, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said energy sanctions and suspending access to EU ports for Russian vessels are options for further sanctions on Moscow.

Mr Coveney, who indicated Ireland would support sanctions of the Russian energy industry on Friday, said the "deterrent to the Kremlin" for continuing the war in Ukraine needs to be strengthened as the conflict continues.

He was speaking in Warsaw after talks with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau.

“There is a possibility to go further, of course there is, whether that’s energy products like coal and oil, whether it’s access to EU ports for Russian vessels, or whether it’s lengthening the list of people who are subject to travel bans and access visas,” he told reporters in Warsaw.

He emphasised that unity between EU nations in relation to sanctions was important, with some more reliant on gas products than others. But, he added: “There is an appetite to ensure that the deterrent to the Kremlin for continuing this war needs to be strong, and needs to be strengthened as the war continues.”