Stradbally is the biggest of five Designated Accommodation Centres to provide 90 days of accommodation for new arrivals from Ukraine.
New rules governing how Ireland deals with people who enter the country from Ukraine will come into force tomorrow – March 14.
Stradbally’s site, located on the lands of Stradbally Hall, will continue to have a maximum capacity of 950 people.
Other confirmed centres include: Ballyogan Road, Dublin City (capacity: 392), Fernbank, Limerick City (capacity: 250), Punchestown, Kildare (capacity: 378), and Gerald Griffin Street, Cork City (capacity: 107).
According to Independent TD Carol Nolan, the Department’s Community Engagement Unit say that new legislation to bring into effect a revised approach to supporting new arrivals from Ukraine has been commenced.
It has also been confirmed that standard social welfare payments will no longer be available to a person while they are resident in Designated Accommodation Centres.
They will be entitled to a reduced weekly allowance of €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child in respect of daily expenses, while they are resident in Designated Accommodation Centres.
Entitlement to Child Benefit is not affected by these changes.
However, when persons leave the Designated Accommodation Centre, or if they make their own accommodation arrangements on arrival, they will be entitled to apply for standard social welfare assistance, equivalent to Irish citizens subject to meeting the eligibility conditions.
The Department say the focus of supports in designated centres will be orientation on living and working in Ireland and the options for sourcing accommodation independently.
It is also the case that these changes will not affect people from Ukraine who arrived in Ireland before this policy came into force and are already registered for temporary protection.
The Department say the change does not apply to people seeking international protection in Ireland, it is only for people fleeing the war in Ukraine who request temporary protection here.
Local Election Candidate for Portlaoise, Pauline Flanagan, had previously called for the purpose of the site in Stradbally to be changed to accommodate International Protection Applicants as well as Ukrainians.
She said that she had discovered that the amount of people staying in accommodation in Stradbally was way lower than the capacity.
She said: “I think it is disgraceful the way monies are being mismanaged by the Department of Integration. How much is this facility that is essentially not being used, costing us, the taxpayer?
“I was lucky enough to get a tour of this site about a month ago and the facilities are exceptional. I recall thinking how delighted I was to see such a safe, well run, secure environment for refugees.
“All bedrooms have own-door, en-suites with heated and insulated cabins, enclosed within large marquee type structures that are also heated, containing all ancillary facilities.
“Why are refugees being housed in much needed tourist and local hotels throughout Ireland and why are there homeless people sleeping on the streets, when there are over 800 beds empty in Laois?
“I can’t help but feel angry about the mismanagement of money when we see the likes of PATH – Portlaoise Action to Homelessness who are always appealing for sleeping blankets etc… or the hugely successful Portlaoise Panthers who can’t get adequate funding to have proper basketball facilities in Laois. This beggars belief.”
However, the Department have confirmed that there will be no change in Stradbally and the site will remain for Ukrainians only.
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