Sir, – Gerard Howlin ("Someone must be put in charge of Ukrainian refugees", Opinion & Analysis, April 20th) raises a number of issues related to Ireland's lack of leadership on the Ukrainian refugee situation.
The EU’s mismanagement of the 2015 refugee crisis serves as a stark reminder that far-right and populist forces are only too willing to exploit any new arrivals into the bloc.
Following years of personal experience in conflict settings, managing the expectations of both refugees and host populations is absolutely critical. Centralised leadership and coordination need to be in place from the outset.
Regardless of their desire to return home, Ukrainians are unlikely to be able to do so in the short term. Eleven years on from the start of the war in Syria, over a million Syrian refugees remain in Lebanon.
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Preparing for the long haul in any planning scenario is paramount. – Yours, etc,
COLIN LEE,
Ballinteer,
Dublin 16.