Plans for UN 'refugee camp' in Ireland axed because 'political optics' would be poor

The development of a refugee camp with the UN International Organisation for Migration was discussed, but officials warned this would be politically sensitive and “the cost very high”

Negotiations over “the creation of a refugee camp” to manage a surge in migration were scrapped because the department in charge said the “political optics” of it would be poor.

In discussions over their budget, the Department of Children and Equality said every negotiation with property owners about accommodation was leading to “higher cost and lower quality”.

In briefing documents, they said they had discussed the development of a refugee camp with the UN International Organisation for Migration in case they ran out of options. However, officials warned this would be politically sensitive and “the cost very high”.

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In a plea for significant extra funding, officials said there was no sign the number of migrants arriving to Ireland was likely to fall over the next three to five years. A presentation for the Department of Public Expenditure said a “day rate” system of paying for each bed-night in accommodation led to poor value. It also said they were far too reliant on private providers, with 90 per cent of asylum applicants housed in that sector.

It warned: “Hoteliers, property owners and developers are either at the full extent of their capacity and/or are unwilling to enter this politically sensitive space.” The briefing said that larger-scale “tented camps” were a possibility but were expensive, low quality, vulnerable to weather, unsustainable and “politically unpopular”.

Asked about the records, a spokesman said: “With the significant increase in numbers of applications for international protection in recent years, alongside the arrival of over 109,000 people fleeing the war in Ukraine since 2022, accommodation shortages for people seeking international protection have been significant.”

He said an allocation of €1.2 billion had been made in Budget 2025 which would be used to bring into use suitable facilities to provide shelter and safety for asylum applicants.

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