Columb Barracks could house refugees in prefabs

Ukrainian refugees could soon be housed in modular homes on the grounds of Columb Barracks.

The government is considering building prefab buildings at the barracks to accommodate the growing number of refugees fleeing the ongoing war in Ukraine.

At the time of writing on Monday afternoon, the cabinet subcommittee on accommodation and supports for Ukrainian refugees was meeting to discuss what new measures to put in place to try to ensure that those travelling to Ireland have some form of accommodation. Thirty three male Ukrainian refugees were turned away from the Citywest transit hub on Friday as it is at full capacity.

More than 58,000 Ukrainian people have sought refuge in Ireland since the start of the war in February, including some 1,400 in the past week.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Minister of State Peter Burke said that Columb Barracks is one of a number of sites across the country being considered for modular housing for Ukrainian refugees.

“We are all aware of the unique pressure on the government to provide accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. The need is now very acute and this was visibly demonstrated over the weekend.

“I know that Columb Barracks is on a list for consideration for modular units and we are awaiting a decision on what sites will be selected.”

Even if the barracks is chosen as one of the sites for modular housing, Minister Burke says he has received assurances that any of the projects planned as part of the regeneration of the barracks, including the centre of excellence for electric vehicle management, will proceed.

Helen Donnelly, chairperson of the Columb Barracks Restoration and Regeneration Committee (CBRRC), believes that refugees could be accommodated in the many vacant buildings at the barracks.

Earlier this year, some of the first Ukrainian refugees in Mullingar converted one of the buildings at the barracks into a refugee hub. Today the building houses a depot where refugees can access clothes and other items donated by local people, a classroom space and a Peace Centre.

Virtually all of the work on the hub was carried out by the refugees themselves. Ms Donnelly believes that rather than spending significant amounts of public money on modular homes, it would be more cost effective for the government to convert the existing buildings at the barracks into accommodation. She says that the refugees could carry out the work as they have the necessary skills.

Ms Donnelly, who runs the Skills Xchange educational service in the barracks, says that working on the community hub provided those involved with a sense of purpose and was good for their mental health.

“We have buildings that are 200 years old and still in pristine condition. With a bit of TLC, they could be made into accommodation.

“These people are coming into the country traumatised and need to be respected and treated with a bit of emotional and physical care.

“They have so many skills and are willing to occupy their time in gainful volunteering, doing something good. Most of the people who worked on the hub are now employed, they don’t want to be sitting around.”

The building that the Skills Xchange is based in has four rooms in a good state of repair that could house four Ukrainian families with just a small amount of work, Ms Donnelly says. If she was given the go-ahead by the Department of Defence, four families could be housed in the building within days.

Should the barracks be chosen for refugee accommodation, Ms Donnelly says that they would be far more comfortable in the current buildings than in modular homes. “It’s like a person lying on a wisp of straw when there is a feather bed beside them. Why would they do that?”