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73 Ukrainian refugees still living in tents at Mullingar barracks

Military tents are being used to house refugees at a number of sites
Military tents are being used to house refugees at a number of sites

73 Ukrainian refugees are still living in tents at Columb Barracks in Westmeath.

Last weekend, the last Ukrainian refugees were moved out of a tented camp that accommodated families in Stradbally in Co Laois ahead of the installation of heated cabins on the property instead.

According to figures provided by the Department of Integration there were 73 single adult Ukrainians and 78 single adult asylum seekers living in tented accommodation in the Mullingar facility as of Wednesday 18 October.

62 Ukrianian families are due to move into modular housing units on the site in the coming weeks.

20 of the 62 four bedroom units have already been constructed.

According to the Department, a further 30 will be completed "over the course of the next 3-4 weeks", while the remaining 12 will be completed in December.

Those staying in tents in Columb Barracks will not be among those moving into the modular units and none of the completed units have been occupied.

"There is ongoing work on site in relation to those units and to provide the necessary infrastructure for refuse, WiFi and other services," a spokesperson said.

"The Department is currently working with the International Organisation for Migration to identify the (Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection) BOTP families who will be allocated to the units.

"This needs to be carefully considered, based on family composition, current location, etc.

"This work will be completed shortly. In addition, the Department is also working with the approved housing body, Tuath, with a view to the future management of the units once occupied," the spokesperson said.

In addition to the Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants currently living in tents in Mullingar, hundreds more asylym seekers are living in tents on two other sites.

More than 300 living in tents on the site of the former Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum in Dublin and more than 70 are being accommodated in tents alongside the Knockalisheen Direct Provision Centre in Meelick, Co Clare.

The tents on site at Stradbally in Co Laois are currently empty but a spokesperson has confirmed that they have been retained "in case of shortages becoming apparent between now and when the cabins begin to be delivered in early November".

From next month hundreds of newly arriving Ukrainian families will be accommodated at two new facilities, the one in Stradbally and another at Glendalough House, Co Wicklow.

Each of the facilities will provide temporary accommodation to Ukrainian families in heated "winter-ready cabins" for a number of weeks at a time, catering for up to 950 people.

In response to a query as to whether such accommodation is being considered for asylum seekers, a Department spokesperson said that "the Department considers all options for contingency planning".