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The Irish Red Cross has received more than 6,100 pledges from the public to accommodate Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Ireland.
The portal, which is being funded by the Government and run in conjunction with the Irish Red Cross, allows the public to register if they gave a spare room or vacant property viaregisterofpledges.redcross.ie.
The portal crashed on Monday night due to demand as people tried to register, a spokesman for the Irish Red Cross said.
The online registration portal came back online early on Tuesday and is again taking pledges.
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On Monday, the portal received a large reception with almost 2,500 people pledging accommodation.
"We're really, really heart warmed at this amazing, phenomenal response from the Irish public who are so giving and so generous. To date, they have also donated over €12 million for the Ukraine crises appeal," said the spokesman.
He said those funds would be used for “primary supplies” such as food, water, shelter and medical supplies in Ukraine and the surrounding borders.
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman has said a specialised unit will shortly be setup to take on the task of meeting refugees from Ukraine as they arrive at airports and ports in Ireland.
The refugees will be issued with a letter stating that they are in Ireland under the EU's Temporary Protection order and Department of Justice officials will arrange accommodation and make contact with Department of Social Protection, which will provide PPS numbers and other supports to allow the arriving Ukrainians to work.
The Department of Welfare will provide refugees with supports including the Supplementary Welfare Allowance and providing child benefit to parents and guardians.
Accommodation
On arrival Ukrainian refugees will be housed in emergency hotel accommodation before the Irish Red Cross links them with suitable, longer-term accommodation.
Mr O’Gorman said there would be checks on all offers of sharing accommodation.
He did not specify if Garda vetting would be required for those offering accommodation. Volunteers from the Irish Red Cross will visit accommodation and assess the suitability and determine the length of time the accommodation will be available.
Mr O’Gorman said the main priority was to ensure that all who arrived were safe in whatever accommodation they were placed in.
Mr O’Gorman confirmed about “2,200 people, Ukrainian refugees had arrived in Ireland since the 26th of February and of those about two-thirds are being housed with family members”.
He said initially hotel accommodation was the preferred option for the short term, but recognised that there was a need for a long-term response and his department was looking at a range of options.
More than 1.7 million Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's invasion have fled to Europe, according to the United Nations.
Meanwhile, EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has said Ireland is getting its “priorities right” in relation to Ukrainian refugees coming into Ireland.
“As a European country, Ireland is getting its priorities right,” she told Newstalk Breakfast on Tuesday.
“I think what’s justified is that we focus on humanitarian help for distraught people. We shouldn’t mix these issues. This is a war and it’s on European soil. It demands us to think and act differently than in peace time,” she told Newstalk Breakfast.
Ms McGuinness dismissed UK security concerns and said “I think that the UK is not part of the European Union, they have a right to express their views”.