The John Mitchels GAA Sports Complex in Tralee has been placed on standby as a centre for short term accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, it has been confirmed.
A spokesman for Kerry County Council said agreement has been reached with council management which is coordinating transport and other services for refugees to use the large modern sports hall for overnight accommodation “in the event of no hotel beds being available”.
Three hotels and a hostel in Kerry have already closed to guests after they entered agreements with IPPS, The International Protection Procurement Services arm of the Department of Children, the agency handling accommodation for refugees.
Meals
The contracts are for three meals per day and laundry for six months initially, with options to extend.
The Department of Children has refused to say how much is being paid per person.
“Contractual matters cannot be divulged due to the commercially sensitive nature of this information,” a spokesman said.
The rates are being agreed on an individual basis depending on the type of accommodation, it is understood.
Kerry which has among the biggest banks of accommodation outside Dublin, with 50,000 tourist beds - Killarney and the wider area has an estimated 20,000 rooms - is being looked at as potential for hosting a large number of refugees.
However, most hotels and guesthouses have already accepted tourist bookings amid what is predicted to be a bumper year for tourism in Killarney and south Kerry.
Refugees have begun arriving at the Skellig Accommodation Centre in Cahersiveen. The former Skellig Star hotel which closed as a direct provision centre in 2020 also now has 30 apartments and potentially could host up to 200, locals estimate.
Refugees have also arrived at the 14-bed Earl of Desmond Hotel outside Tralee and both the 72-bed Inisfallen Hotel in Fossa Killarney and its sister hostel the 3Lakes Hostel in Killarney town, are expected to host refugees from tomorrow, Monday.
The IHF has written to members in Kerry appealing on the Government’s behalf for any type of accommodation including guesthouse, hotel and B&B, on a commercial basis.
It has told members that at present there are around 200 to 250 persons seeking accommodation a day.
“In an effort to secure further accommodation for Ukrainian nationals coming to Ireland; the Government is seeking to secure as many hotel rooms as possible for three to six month blocks and, where possible; is seeking exclusive use of hotels,” the IHF said.
This is alongside the appeal to offer one or more rooms for free to refugees.
The Department would welcome offers with a minimum of ten rooms for a six-month period; it said, with meals and laundry.
“However the Department would also be open to offering a month’s contract," Tim Finn, HF chief executive said in the appeal to members last week.
