Ukrainian refugees permitted to stay at Crowne Plaza in Dundalk for further two weeks
Refugees told on Friday evening that they had to be ready to move to different accommodation on Monday
The group of Ukrainians who had been told they had to leave the Crowne Plaza in Dundalk have been allowed to stay a further two weeks, it has been confirmed.
It is understood the decision was made by Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department. Louth Sinn Féin TD, Ruairí Ó Murchu, who met a number of the Ukrainians affected on Sunday morning with party colleague, Cllr. Kevin Meenan, said today that he had spoken to them again on Monday morning on the issue.
Deputy Ó Murchú said: "It has been confirmed to me this morning that the Ukrainians who had been in the Crowne Plaza in Dundalk and who were due to be moved today have been advised that they can stay a further two weeks so that they can make arrangements to move to a different part of Ireland."
He added, "I welcome this good news but this incident over the weekend has shown that there needs to be far better communication and consultation with people about moving them from one part of the State to another. I hope that there is communication in the coming weeks with them and they are assisted with the arrangements with schools, adult education and work."
Louth Labour TD, Ged Nash, on social media this morning, said that “I've just received a call from Minister Roderic O'Gorman to inform me that after interventions I made with him over the weekend, he has decided at the eleventh hour to review the decision that was made on Friday, to move 45 refugees from Ukraine out of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and to various locations across the country.
"A stay has been put on the decision for the Christmas period. We're all now going to work together to try to identify more sustainable local solutions to allow these people to remain in the Dundalk area. This is great news.”