Ukrainians forced to leave Laois to be 'relocated' elsewhere
Department of Integration has changed its criteria for Ukraine accommodation
Some of the Ukrainian war displaced people living in Laois for the past two years have to move out of the county, because of changes to the Government's choice of accommodation for them.
Laois is temporarily home to some 1,230 Ukraine citizens who had to evacuate their homes since the Russian invasion, according to latest available figures from Laois County Council.
Three shared accommodation centres in Laois that were home to Ukraine citizens have had their contracts terminated by the Government.
The Town Hotel in Portlaoise was vacated in mid July, with only 40% of its residents successful at finding accommodation in Laois homes, either privately or with the help of the 'Offer A Home' scheme.
Now Mountmellick and Durrow will follow.
Laois County Council has said that about 15 people are affected in the latest closures.
"The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth continues with the national consolidation of its Ukrainian Accommodation portfolio. As a result a small number of Ukrainian citizens (15 approx) are being relocated in September from Durrow and Mountmellick to other centres outside of Laois," their October management report states.
They say they are continuing to help source temporary accommodation for Ukrainian people, "providing liaison locally in relation to vacant buildings and sites suitable for medium to long term solutions".
"The council also continues to allocate privately offered / pledged accommodation, eg Offer A Home Schemes, to Ukrainian families, with 72 Ukrainian households having been assisted with accommodation locally to date".
The Laois integration support office gives support in the form of onsite one to one clinics, helping to find school places and sports clubs for children and a driver training course in Abbeyleix for adults. Over summer they held activities including a Literacy Through Chess program at Portarlington library.
The Department has not renewed many of its contracts for commercial accommodation for Ukrainians such as hotels and hostels, in favour of more independent living options that encourage integration in communities.
Resistance fighting continues in Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.