The Chief Executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Council has said the Government needs to come up with a "comprehensive plan" as to how refugees and asylum seekers will be accommodated going forward.
Eoghan O'Mara Walsh said the latest data they have from the Department of Children is that about 28% of all tourism beds in regional Ireland are occupied by Ukrainian refugees or asylum seekers.
His comments come as ministers are to set out their priorities for the next six months at a Government meeting in Farmleigh House this afternoon.
The sourcing of accommodation for people seeking international protection in Ireland and for those fleeing the war in Ukraine is becoming increasingly difficult, the Cabinet meeting will hear later.
Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman is expected to tell colleagues that many hotels currently under contract with the Department of Children will return to the tourist trade in March and April.
It is likely the minister will give his view that the Government needs to reduce its reliance on private providers and develop State-owned accommodation.
He is also likely to emphasise the need for more community engagement and improved supports for integration.
The minister believes communities around the country have done remarkably well as more than 70,000 people have found shelter in Ireland in the last year.
Today's broad ranging discussion at Cabinet is expected to cover many areas, including the tourist season ahead.
On that front, Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin is likely to detail how tourism will be managed this year with a focus on visitor numbers, accommodation spaces and supports for the hospitality sector.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr O'Mara Walsh said the tourism sector "will of course do its bit" but ultimately it can only do so much and should not be relied on as the primary provider of accommodation.
"That's fine for the quiet winter months but as we come into the tourism season, which kicks off from St Patrick's Day onwards, there's going to be a major problem," he said.
"Those hotels and B&Bs will understandably want to get back into the tourism game and a lot of the contracts that they will have signed with the Government will be expiring," he added.
The Government "can't be over reliant" on the tourism sector, he said, because it will lead to "a lot of economic problems, particularly in regional Ireland".
Meanwhile, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will update the Cabinet on the number of monkeypox cases and the targeted vaccination programme.
There were a total of 227 cases notified here to end of December, with no new cases recorded in the last week of the year.
A vaccination programme continues with appointments available up to the end of February.
The HSE believes that between 6,000 and 12,000 people would benefit from the vaccine.
As of 1 January, just under 5,000 vaccine doses were administered.
Minister Donnelly will tell colleagues that mass vaccination is currently not required.
