The Irish government has agreed that student accomodation can be provided to refugees providing that it has been empty for the previous 12 months.
According to RTÉ:
This follows controversy over an abandoned proposal to house refugees in a purpose-built student accommodation centre in Co Sligo.
The plan faced opposition from local politicians and also caused tension between the Department of Integration and the Department of Further and Higher Education.
Both departments have now agreed a protocol that purpose-built student accommodation will not be examined to house Ukrainian refugees or asylum seekers if it is currently in operation or if it has been used within the previous 12 months.
Agreement has also been reached that any student accommodation temporarily in use for refugee housing over the summer months will be returned to student use later this month or in early September.
5,000 student beds in 22 colleges are being used for refugee accommodation over the summer.
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said that while colleges are eager to assist with the humanitarian crisis, it is essential that the accommodation is returned to students for term time.
“It is also really important that accommodation built to be student accommodation is used for that purpose. I was very concerned when this was not to be the case in Sligo,” he said.
Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman has said the vast majority of student accommodation being used over the summer for refugees will be returned to its usual purpose in late August, early September.
He also said that the Sligo property came to the department through a request for tender process and the proposal did not go ahead due to the significant potential impact on the area and on the Atlantic Technological University.
