By Chris Ashmore
DONEGAL currently has over 9,000 refugees, and continues to have the highest number of refugees of any county outside Dublin.
In an update to councillors at the January meeting of Donegal County Council, Chief Executive, John McLaughlin disclosed that there are 9,054 refugees in the county, with 2,164 of them registered as requiring International Protection, including 926 children.
Meanwhile, according to the last figures from the Central Statistics Office, there are 6,889 people from Ukraine living in Donegal.
Mr McLaughlin reported that overall numbers have stabilised, but relocation strategies have led to a significant turnover of individuals, creating what he termed “ongoing challenges”.
Donegal County Council continues to support refugees through the Community Integration Forum, the Offer a Home Programme, and the Local Authority Integration Team (LAIT).
Supports include access to services such as healthcare, welfare entitlements, language development, cultural orientation, employment, education and training, with the aim being that they can live independently and fully integrate into the community. There are 817 refugees in the county who are accommodated in 266 homes under the Offer a Home Programme, and a further 324 applications are awaiting placement.
However, Mr McLaughlin highlighted that currently there are nine properties that are scheduled to be vacated at their owners’ request.
He warned that the Council currently has “no alternatives to offer these families” and this could lead them to becoming homeless, and they would not be eligible for standard homeless supports.
