Second refugee centre to be open in 'next two to three weeks' - Minister O'Gorman

Vivienne Clarke

Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman has said that tented accommodation could be added to existing facilities around the country for asylum seekers to meet any possible surge.

Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Mr O’Gorman also said that a second welcome centre for refugees would open in “the next two to three weeks” and the first tranche of refurbished accommodation – offering 500 spaces, would be handed over this week.

Over the weekend 780 refugees and asylum seekers were accommodated at City West, he said. No one had to sleep at the old terminal building at Dublin Airport.

Tented accommodation in Gormanston College will open this week, initially for 150 people, but with capacity for 350.

Mr O’Gorman explained that the military tents will each sleep 16 with separate showers and toilets, recreation and canteen facilities.

This was a short term measure, he added, for a week “maximum”.

Of the 3,000 units identified for refurbishment, the first tranche of 500 places will be handed over this week, he said.

It had always been anticipated that Gormanston could be used at some stage given the fluidity of a wartime situation. The most recent surge in arrivals was possibly due to the recent Russian attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.

“We have responded as quickly as possible to situations where people were sleeping on floors," he said.