Cabinet Approves Additional €20m for Refugee Accommodation in Addition to the €50m from Dep’t of Housing

Columb Barracks, Westmeath

Cabinet has approved €20m for refugee accommodation in addition to the €50 million being provided by the Department of Housing this year to refurbish a range of sites across the country for Ukrainian refugees.

At an incorporeal meeting of the Cabinet held this morning via telephone, agreement was reached to provide funding of €20 million for 400 beds on two sites to provide accommodation to refugees from Ukraine and people seeking international protection.
 
Agreement was not reached on where the beds are to be provided.
 
Columb Barracks in Mullingar, Thornton Hall in North Dublin purchased in controversial circumstances two decades ago to build a new prison and Knockalisheen Accommodation Centre in Co Clare are among the locations under consideration.
 
Separately, the Department of Housing is providing €50 million to refurbish a range of sites across the country for use by refugees from Ukraine this year.