Taoiseach to raise issue of 100 Ukrainians moved from Shannon with integration minister 

THE TAOISEACH has said he will raise the issue of 200 refugees being moved from Shannon with the integration minister.

Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe raised the issue of Ukrainian refugees being moved from Phoenix House to Lisdoonvarna, after the local community vouched for them. 

Ukrainian refugees living in Phoenix House have received an eviction letter from the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) stating that they will be relocated to Lisdoonvarna on June 24.

Mr Crowe told the Taoiseach: “A very large building in Shannon County, Clare housing 200 refugees, letters were issued to all Ukrainian war refugees there on Monday to say that they need to be out in two weeks. They will be moved to Lisdoonvarna.”

“Most of these people are working in factories and companies in Shannon. They've kids enrolled in schools. This is devastating. And instead of a community saying ‘We don't want them’, we actually have a community contacting Councillor David Griffin and I, inundating us with saying these people work in our community,” he continued.

According to Mr Crowe, moving them will mean they will have to be on social welfare.

“They're being schooled in their local schools, we want to keep them there. We've trade unions, we've locals, we've activists all saying to us this is illogical to take them out of Shannon, Phoenix House in Shannon, move them 60 kilometres up the road. And may I add Taoiseach, when they do move 60 kilometres up the road with them goes the employment.

“They will be on social welfare at that point because where they'll be, there is no centre of employment. Can you please put eyes on this?”

In response to Mr Crowe’s intervention, Simon Harris said: “I will raise that with the Minister for Integration. I do need to be honest with people that as we're seeing the number of Ukrainian people in state accommodation reduce, we are reducing our footprint in terms of the amount of accommodation that we are leasing, because obviously there's a very significant cost to the taxpayer here. But I will raise this issue specifically of the concerns raised to you and Councillor Griffin in relation to Phoenix House as well.”