1,898 Ukrainians living in County Leitrim

As of 8 October 2023, Central Statistics Office states that there are 1,898 Ukrainians living in County Leitrim under the Temporary Protective Directive. 
Some 89 properties have been activated under the Offer A Home Programme in Leitrim accommodating approximately 400 BOTP’s (Beneficiary of Temporary Protection). There are approximately 1,100 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP)'s residing in commercial type accommodation in Leitrim.

Cllr Enda Stenson asked that members of the council receive an update on the number of Ukrainian persons now resident in Leitrim, having fled their home country since the war there started in February 2022.

"It's a large number of people that have come into Leitrim," Cllr Stenson commented. "Are they being allocated to Leitrim or arriving in Leitrim and the local authority has taken responsibility for those people?" he asked.

Mary Quinn, Director of Services, Housing, Corporate Services, Community and Cultural Services said that responsibility lies with the Department of Children. 
"Responsibility for accommodation for people from the Ukraine who are displaced from the war lies with the Department of Children," she said.

She said the department sought expressions of interest from commercial accommodation providers and have assessed those. 
"Through the community response forum, we will notify the various agencies that there will be an arrival of a number of people to the county."

She said that the numbers coming into the country and "the dispersal of those and accommodation of those right around the country; they are allocated to a county."

Cllr Stenson asked if there is "ever a time where we say we can take no more" with Ms Quinn saying, "not at this point."

Cllr Stenson said that "the government has to take responsibility for a certain level of it."

Cllr Paddy Farrell said that "people seem to be getting angry about this issue" and said there "seems to be all kinds of people walking into the country at the present time and there needs to be some kind of control and I fully support the motion."

Cllr Des Guckian noted that this time last year, there were 1,084 Ukrainians living in Leitrim and now there are 1,898. "It's a large number considering the population of Leitrim is 35,000."

Cathaoirleach Cllr Justin Warnock said that it was important to be "mindful of the situation that those people find themselves in" and they should "look back to 1846-1847 where 155,000 were living in Leitrim."
He also noted, "there are many schools under pressure to close in the county as well" and said that a balance needs to be struck. 

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said that last May, €2.1 million was allocated to projects throughout Leitrim under the Community Recognition Fund. 
"When the war is over and those people return to their homes, that money spent putting facilities and services in place will still be of benefit to the native population," he said.