Cllr Mc Clafferty calls for balance in face of accommodation shortage

An independent councillor is calling on the Government to consider the current accommodation shortage in the country and take meaningful steps to help students who are finding it difficult to find properties to rent and those who are homeless.

This week, the Government has issued an urgent appeal for hotels and guest houses to house Ukrainian refugees and are offering payments of €135 a night for single adults, according to the Irish Times.

Independent Councillor Michael Mc Clafferty says that there could be serious repercussions if the Government doesn’t take action soon to balance the situation soon.  

The Dunfanaghy-based representative says while he appreciates the situation in the Ukraine, and the fact that people from the Ukraine need to be housed in the country but feels it is as important to find accommodation for the homeless in Ireland and to ensure students can find accommodation this coming academic year.  

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He said: “I think we have done enough already for those who came and it’s gone well past time to stop and look at our own people for a change that are laying on various streets and towns now up and down the country.”

He added that students who are seeking to go or return to college are now finding it near impossible to find homes to rent for this academic year. 

More than 40,000 refugees have arrived from Ukraine to date, with an average of 1,400 arriving each week, according to to the Irish Times report.

Mr Mc Clafferty further added that tourism is being adversely affected due to the accommodation shortage and that there could be repercussive action from businesses. 

“Late last night, I was speaking to a dad whose son is halfway through his course and is unable to find accommodation and could in reality be forced to drop out over accommodation. This is modern day Ireland now it seems,” he said. 

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“I am trying to be fair here, I think that we can help other people but we need to help our own too. My point is we need to have balance and right now that balance is not there. We can help as much as we can, and we always do, but if we run into economic difficulties, which we did before and could again, we won’t be able to help others or ourselves. We need to address this for everyone concerned,” he said. 

A response from the Department of Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth states: "There is an ongoing need to source immediate and short term accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) due to the daily arrivals on our shores.  As existing contracts reach capacity and/or expire the Department is continuing to proactively reach out and engage with the market in order to deliver additional capacity."