Over 800 refugees are currently being housed in non residential buildings in the Shannonside Northern Sound Region.
The figures were requested by Sinn Fein TD Eoin Ó Broin for each local authority with the Minister for Housing confirming the figures this week.[Thirteen non- residential buildings are currently being used to house long term international protection applicants as well as refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Non-residential buildings refer to locations not specifically designed to house people such as former office or retail units. When it comes to Ukrainian refugees being housed in the region, 75 people are currently in non-residential housing in Longford, Monaghan and Westmeath. Monaghan and Longford local authorities are currently using two re-purposed accommodation centres, with 41 and 18 people respectively housed on site. Roscommon meanwhile has 16 Ukrainian citizens living in one non housing unit in the county. 778 International Protection applicants have been housed in non-resident accommodation in the Shannonside Northern Sound Region. Westmeath has recorded the highest level, with 5 such buildings used to house 487 asylum seekers. Two buildings in Monaghan are being used for the same purpose with 174 refugees housed.
While 117 international protection applicants are currently in one non residential centre in Cavan
Nationally over ten thousand people are currently residing in these repurposed accomodation centres.
