Roscrea ready for arrival of 400 Ukrainian refugees

ROSCREA is ready to welcome 400 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion in the coming weeks, as preparations for their arrival are concluding at a former secondary school building.

160 refugees from Ukraine will arrive into the emergency accommodation in Roscrea this month and be followed by 240 more in the following weeks. The former Sacred Heart Convent Secondary School, a landmark building with a commanding presence over the town centre and dormant since 1999, has been repurposed to accommodate them.

An update from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth was issued to local elected representatives and stakeholders this week and said all statutory requirements relating to the establishment and management of emergency accommodation at the facility are being met by the service provider; including health and safety, fire, building regulations and other legal requirements.

"The safety and security of the residents is of paramount importance" the Department said and the contract for the accommodation in Roscrea has been signed for a period of one year.  

The residents will be entirely people fleeing the war in Ukraine and "the profile of arrivals from the war in Ukraine to date is mainly women and children", the Department said.  

The accommodation is scheduled to be delivered in four phases and residents will stay at the accommodation for a number of weeks, with support services provided at the site to assist people adjust to life in Ireland and to aid better integration and independence.

The accommodation at the former Sacred Heart Convent in Roscrea is described as "own-door rooms with ancillary facilities within the building"  and will have various configurations to accommodate families, couples and individuals.

The accommodation facility will be operated by Wexton Ltd. on behalf of the property owners and developers Shaycase Ltd. The management company has experience in accommodating and providing support services to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.  The safety and security of the residents is of key importance, the Department said and the facility will be "staffed with a rostered team to include the facility manager, duty managers, night managers, security and cleaners".

The residents are provided with full medical checks, medical cards and PPS numbers before their arrival in Roscrea - a process carried out in a facility located in Citywest in Dublin before transport to their accommodation. 

"They are then eligible to seek work and many people have done so and are making a positive contribution to the local and national economies, particularly in areas where there are skills shortages", the Department said.

Speaking to the Tribune on Tuesday, local member of Tipperary County Council, Michael Smith (FF) confirmed the former Sacred Heart Convent Secondary School in Roscrea is "being transformed into a centre for providing temporary accommodation for Ukrainian refugees".

"Fleeing the tyranny of war, the building which was idle for decades and in danger of becoming a derelict site and an eye sore is to relive again", Cllr. Smith said.

"I have arranged a meeting with the owners in order to discuss their long term plans for this resource. 

"While there was some resistance to the earlier proposals and the fact that no information was coming from the Department, I know that the heart of the people of Roscrea will be in the right place when the time comes", Cllr. Smith said.