The Irish Red Cross is defending the length of time it is taking to house Ukrainian refugees with Irish families.

It comes as women, children and elderly people arriving from Ukraine were forced to sleep on floors at Dublin Airport the last two nights.

The Government has warned of a ‘severe shortage’ of refugee accommodation – with as many as 150 people arriving seeking international protection every day.

The Citywest hotel, which can hold around 2,300 people, is now full and officials are working on finding more accommodation for new arrivals.

Meanwhile, there are many reports of people who pledged to open their homes to refugees back in March hearing nothing back until very recently.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, The Irish Red Cross Chairman Pat Carey said officials are housing people as quickly as possible.

“Along the way there is garda vetting, there is vetting of the physical suitability of properties and in a high number of cases, pledges that were offered in the early stages have been withdrawn for a variety of reasons,” he said.

“So, it is complicated; it is slow, but this is not simply finding some place you can put a family into.

“Placing a family with another family is complicated. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

“There is quite a bit of experience at this stge. We have eight case workers working with families right across the country to help them settle in when they have difficulties with host families for example – but of course we would like to see it moving much faster.”

Refugees

This morning, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to call on the Government to take swift action.

The Gormanston Army Camp will open its tented accommodation for refuges this Monday.

The accommodation centre will hold up to 200 refugees and you can see its facilities here.

Housing

Mr Carey said people are only being held at Dublin Airport for short periods.

“Obviously, that is not something we would want to happen at all and if it does, only for a short period, hopefully,” he said.

“Despite what everybody has been saying in the last couple of days, the accommodation of refugees continues.

“The pledged accommodation is coming through, garda vetting has been completed, vetting of properties has been completed – there are 800-plus pledges at this stage right across the country.

“Organisations like ourselves, the Peter McVerry Trust and the migration bodies are working together with the Government. Where there is coordination and cooperation things move quite smoothly and families are being accommodated.”

It is thought up to 200 people were at the Old Terminal in Dublin Airport this morning.

You can listen back to Mr Carey here: