Finding accommodation for Ukrainians is set to become even more difficult with many hotels likely to start catering to tourists again in the near future. 

The issue is to be brought before the Cabinet today by the Minister for Integration and Children Roderic O'Gorman, who will press colleagues on the need to reduce reliance on private operators and build its own accommodation.

At the moment, thousands of refugees are being accommodated in hotels, however many of the hotels under contract with the Government are expected to revert to tourism in March and April.

Last year, Ireland took in 70,000 people fleeing the war in Ukraine, and it has been briefed that Minister O'Gorman will reiterate his view that the nation has done remarkably well in this regard.

Isaccea, Romania. 02 March, 2022. Refugee Ukrainians walk from Ukraine to Isaccea in Romania after crossing the border.

'Not a place we want to be in'

In October, Leo Varadkar warned that housing so many Ukrainians had become “an enormous challenge" for officials. 

“Ireland has never experienced something like this before,” he said. 

“We’ll not be able to accommodate everyone who arrives in the country and that’s not a place we want to be in.

“We’re not alone, by the way; I was in Brussels yesterday and every other country is in the same boat in Western Europe. 

“It really is an enormous challenge.”

Main image: Ukrainian families flee the Russian invasion  on 24th February 2022. Picture by Dominika Zarzycka/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa USA/Alamy Live News