Services for refugees in Clare ‘have exceeded capacity’ – TD

ANCILLARY services to support the influx of Ukrainian refugees have exceeded their capacity to adequately respond in the county to the current humanitarian crisis, a local Dáil Deputy has claimed.

Apart from accommodation, which is at capacity, Deputy Cathal Crowe told a Joint Policing Committee meeting on Monday that other services for Ukrainians have exceeded capacity.

“We were right to have our arms open and welcome people from Ukraine and we should continue to do so.

“But there is no shame in a county or country saying we have reached capacity in terms of the level of care we can provide.

“A roof over someone’s head is just one aspect of care, education and healthcare are other aspects,” the Meelic TD told the committee.

“I have a pregnant woman who contacted my office who can’t get GP care. When she has a baby, she will most likely have to present herself to the Emergency Department.

“While accommodation is going well and has reached a capacity point, on other capacity points we have not only reached this but we have exceeded it.”

“If you try to funnel more people into a county that is at capacity, then you are doing an injustice to them.”

While agencies like the gardai are aware of what is happening in the county, Deputy Crowe claimed some state departments that are based in Dublin rarely visit the county and are not engaging properly to assist the assimilation of Ukrainians.

Councillor Alan O’Callaghan warned there is a “backlash” starting in some counties concerning the amount of services being provided to the Ukrainians from people who are themselves struggling to get accommodation and other services, notwithstanding the fact Ukrainians are being forced to flee from their war-torn country.

Acknowledging the housing crisis is causing difficulties for Clare people, west Clare Councillor Ian Lynch told the meeting there has been a noticeable shift in adverse commentary on social media in recent weeks, which was something that had to be monitored.

Councillor Lynch proposed the council should look at turning derelict properties into accommodation for Ukrainians instead of spending millions on hotels.

An overview of the local and national response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine following the illegal invasion by Russia was presented by Director of Services, Jason Murphy.

Mr Murphy told members communities are concerned about the overall numbers in Clare and possible further increases over the coming months.

Community groups are also tired after the Covid-19 response and the initial reaction to the Ukraine crisis.

There is concern over the impact on school places in areas such as Shannon, Ennis and Lisdoonvarna, school transport issues and the lack of physical space in some schools and no budgets for additional cost of supplies and materials.

Health concerns are another big issue due to the lack of available GPs in the county, while existing family doctors are at or above capacity.

Latest figures show more than 3,459 Ukrainians are being accommodated in Clare, with around a third of these estimated to be minors.

The highest concentration of Ukrainians are in the Ennistymon Electoral Area with 940 settling in Lisdoonvarna, Ennis is next with 691, 401 people from Ukraine are in Shannon, 390 are in Bunratty and a further 379 have settled in Ballyvaughan.

The figures show 310 are located in Kilkee, with 111 more Ukrainians staying in the East Clare village of Bodyke.

They are also living in Lahinch, 111, Liscannor, 65, Killaloe, 58, Kilrush,38, Clarecastle, 33, Kilmaley, 17, Newmarket-On-Fergus, 15, and Flagmount, 11.

In total, 361 homes in the county have been pledged to the Irish Red Cross and elsewhere since the onset of the war, though 221 of those have not been progressed with subsequently.

Official statistics have revealed 156 were withdrawn, seven were deemed too rural, 46 were uncontactable, nine were unsuitable for occupation and three required remedial works.

Some 63 houses pledged were deemed viable and available, with 20 of them subsequently matched with people fleeing the war.