Planning for arrival of 20,000 Ukrainian refugees in progress

A total of 621 refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine have arrived in Ireland as of Friday, according to Department of Foreign Affairs figures.

A little over a week after Russia invaded its neighbouring country, it is estimated that more than 1.2 million Ukrainians have crossed the borders seeking sanctuary.

If the war continues to escalate and continues into the medium term Ireland will be expected to host about 2 per cent of all refugees who have been forced to leave their home country.

On that basis, the Government has begun scenario planning based on a minimum of 20,000 Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland.

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Speaking on Friday afternoon, the Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said he would not be surprised if the figure coming in comfortably exceeded 1,000 by next week.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said on Thursday that Ireland was now in a wartime situation and had to prepare for the largest humanitarian and refugee crisis facing Europe since the second world war.

Well-placed Government sources said it was not expected that a large number of refugees would arrive in Ireland in the coming weeks and the figure of 600 fell within expectations.

There are an estimated 4,000 Ukrainian-born people living in Ireland at present and, in the initial stages, Ukrainian refugees arriving into Ireland will be those with relatives living in Ireland.

Source says that virtually all of the 621 people who have arrived have support networks of family and friends in Ireland and have not sought any help from the State so far.

The vast majority of the 1.2 million people who have fled the country have gone to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romanian and Moldova and also to Germany and Israel where there are large expatriate populations.

Intergovernmental groups have been working this week on plans to provide the capacity for refugees in the event of a large increase in the number coming here.

Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman is expected to open a process next week where people who are willing to help refugees can register their support.

It is expected that some Irish families will volunteer to host refugees but such arrangements will take time to put in place. Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney signalled on Friday that it would involve host families being vetted.

It is not known how many people from Ukraine will want to travel to Ireland even as part of an EU-level agreement however contingency plans are being put in place for what is expected to be “one of the State’s largest humanitarian efforts”.

Work is being done in particular on the health and education supports that refugees will need.

In terms of accommodation hotels will be the first port of call, given the experience the Government has in contracting them at short notice.

However, should the numbers arriving into Ireland warrant it, The Irish Times understands that another option under consideration is using State land for modular homes.

Another consideration may be asking the Defence Forces to set up temporary accommodation for refugees in its own camps or on new land. However, sources in several Government departments said on Friday the process had not yet reached that stage.