The county-by-county breakdown of Ukrainian refugees and other applicants for international protection (asylum seekers) shows that Laois has taken some of the lowest numbers of migrants in the country.
In terms of Ukrainian refugees, Laois ranks 24th out of 31 County Councils and City Councils, taking in 700 people at present.
Laois is slightly higher on the list when it comes to other applicants for international protection, taking in 579 people at present, putting the County 20th out of 31 Councils.
Overall, Laois is 23rd out of 31 for the total number of refugees and asylum seekers it is currently taking in (1,279).
However, when compared to counties of similar size, with similar populations, the Laois figure is somewhere closer to the average.
Laois is taking in considerably less people than Westmeath, Sligo and Offaly, but more than Kildare, Carlow, Roscommon, Monaghan and Longford.
Kerry is taking by far the largest number of Ukrainians (6,195) followed by Donegal and Cork County.
Dublin City is taking in the most asylum seekers from other nations (3,802), followed by South Dublin and Fingal.
When both categories of people are combined, Kerry (7,008), South Dublin (6,062) and Donegal (5,869) top the list.
The three counties at the bottom of the list, taking in the fewest number of refugees and asylum seekers are Longford (456), Roscommon (732) and Kilkenny (885).
Kilkenny stands out at the bottom of the list, with a remarkably low number considering the county’s size, infrastructure and population.
Limerick (15th overall), Kildare (24th), and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown (29th) also fall into that category, as a disparity in certain areas has appeared.
Likewise, on the other end of the spectrum, Counties such as Clare (6th), Westmeath (12th), and Sligo (18th) are more than pulling their weight.
However, the Government says it is dealing with international arrivals on a national basis, not county by county.
The figures were provided by Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman. The full list can be seen below.
It is important to note that they only show Ukrainians who are in accommodation commissioned by his department, and asylum-seekers who are housed by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS).
There are no figures for the unhoused and homeless, or those involved in accommodation gifted by individuals, nor those who may be renting or who are otherwise unseen by the statistics.
The site in Stradbally which can hold 900 Ukrainians also is not counted as that is not a permanent residence – with people coming to Stradbally Hall for a period of no longer than six weeks before moving on the full time accommodation.
More than 106,000 Ukrainian refugees have come here after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, but thousands have since gone home, while others have secured employment and are renting their home.
Thus the current statistics show that there are 48,305 from Ukraine in State-paid accommodation, a figure that could fall further with expected changes in welfare.
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