Ukrainian refugees in Ireland - Megathread

So your evidence for Irish kids being gazumped for disability services is a piece on the news you clearly haven't seen about an adult lady and her friend volunteering at a horticultural farm, something 1000s of people every single day.

That is next level shameful embarrassment even for this thread.

12,000 hotel rooms? They are all getting one each are they? 🙄

Absolute nonsense.

The State’s system to house Ukrainian refugees is “under pressure”, with the Government having “probably reached the limit” of the amount of hotel and guesthouse accommodation it can provide, Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman has said.

Mr O’Gorman, who has responsibility for integration, said the “vast majority” of those 13,000 people are being accommodated in hotels and guesthouses around the country.

“We have secured over 3,000 rooms now at this stage and that’s the primary means by which we are accommodating people. We’ve also secured the use of maybe larger institutions, former convents and the like, and we’ll be looking to secure more of those going forward,”

Also she neither has placement or a full time carer, she is volunteering there because her Ukrainian friend also does.

Absolutely nothing stopping anyone from volunteering at these farms - some actually depend on it.

Yeah you seem fairly balanced alright Mick don't mind the whinging assholes on here! Seeing as you read books, give advice n all that stuff how do we pay for this? The housing minister reckons he'll need 35k houses for Ukrainians that stay here permanently- say average house price is 300k a pop, that's 10.5 billion just for permanent housing alone.

We are the third most indebted country in the developed world, the corporation tax golden goose is under serious pressure n interest rates are going up. Fill us in there Mick, ta in advance

Irish children are waiting years because the state is unwilling or unable to pay for the service. The businesses are not charities, so they don't provide the service for free in normal cases. Quite easy to understand really. The state doesn't have to funds to provide the services because lower/middle income Irish people pay feck all tax and are unwilling to pay more. That is the reason why we have rubbish services here. We have the level of services we are willing to pay for. Added to that, there is a culture of dependence here among certain groups, multi generational welfare. The Ukrainians won't be like this, any of them I have met have been embarrassed about receiving welfare. I think that is a good attitude to have, it would be great if some of our long term unemployed felt the same type of embarrassment. If we have more contributors, there will be more money for providing better services.

I just find the ones who are most critical of the help the Ukrainians are getting would do feck all to help someone themselves, they have the begging bowl out and see the Ukrainians as competition. My wife has been volunteering with the Ukrainians about 20 hrs per week since early March. Would she do this under normal circumstances? No. On top of working and minding 2 children, it is too much to be able to do continuously. It is only something she would do in an emergency situation like this.

I think your missing the point, do you believe this Ukranian girl and her carer just walked up to the private business and asked for a placement 🤔 that is not how these placements work, the state, through Tulsa or perhaps other agencies are involved from the getgo. This and other businesses are vetted in advance and at all times state agencies are involved and yes there is a cost.The same agencies are also presumably vetting for the 100's of others waiting for placements.

I commend you both for volunteering.

You cant just turn up and volunteer as you put it 

Of course you can, how do you think these places function?

Of course you have be vetted, because you may be in contact with children, buts that hardly a barrier.

Absolutely nothing stopping you volunteering and bringing your friends kid, just like the other Ukrainian lady did in the piece.

There is application form in that link.

But they will not take kids with intellectual needs as volunteers. My friends kid cannot get in there in any capacity by volunteering - if only it was that easy Boggles.

My post that millions of refugees come to Ireland was plainly a tongue-in-cheek comment.

As for all you mention in your above quoted post, I entirely agree with you. Yes the housing situation is dire. Yes the government plans for housing the Ukrainians is pathetic. And yes the whole thing is a shambles. But all the griping in the world about it on here wont do a damn thing. I'm just fed up of people on this thread parroting the same stuff over and over and over. It doesn't need to be said hundreds of times.

I've given my suggestions that there are ways of making your voice heard, and there are ways of actively doing something about it. But people on here seem content to just repeatedly attack every single aspect of the Ukrainian refugee crisis... housing, work, healthcare, language, etc, etc. It's the government that needs to be challenged, and (as an example) if someone were to organise a petition on here with regards to the housing situation then I'd gladly sign it. And also one for the sheer numbers of refugees being allowed in - I'd sign that as well.

People may as well stand in the middle of a field to shout out and vent their frustrations about this whole situation, as opposed to coming on here and just repeating what dozens have just posted before them.

My main beef about this thread, and why I have returned to posting here, is that so many of the comments people make are taking umbrage about the situation, yet I see very little compassion being shown towards those refugees who are actually here, and the suffering they've gone through. It's 90%, self-centred, 'well what about us'.

But the bottom line is that it's the government who made the decisions on absolutely every aspect of this ongoing tragedy, and it's only the government who can do something to ease or change it. So, short of challenging them, or open revolt on the streets, what do YOU suggest we do? Just carry on complaining on here?

Huh?

Are you sure you watched the piece? The Ukrainian lady who is the volunteer brings the other lady to the farm once a week, watering and potting seeds and brushing an old pony.

Absolutely nothing stopping you doing the same thing.

I gave you the link, let us know you get on. 👍️

Also having an intellectual disability those not preclude you from working or volunteering. That's a strange thing to say. 😕

Festina Lente will consider involving anyone who wishes to volunteer with us. Prospective volunteers however must demonstrate a commitment to the aims of Festina Lente and their availability as volunteers must align with the needs of our organisation.

We provide a volunteer recruitment process, which is free from any unlawful discrimination.

You dont seem to get it Boggles - there is a process to go through. Its not as simple as you seem to think. You could be waiting months and months to use any service here or indeed become a volunteer. Its a great service but a girl being able to use services here after being only 2 months in the country does raise questions for those that are waiting.

Im not going to comment again on this. Im glad she is benefiting from the service and wish her well for the future.

Paying makes no difference there is still a waiting list due to the high demand for services. You really have no idea how services for disabled kids work!

Im not sure if you actually live in Ireland at all. You seem to be a wind up merchant!

Have some compassion and respect. We are not talking about school tours or birthday parties.

So he didn't say rooms then. 👍️

Compassion, Respect?

You are making up figments to try and pit people in society against each other who have been dealt a shítty hand.

Do me a favour. 🙄