State to end three Wicklow Ukraine accommodation contracts as national phase out accelerates

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

The government has confirmed that three long-standing Ukrainian accommodation centres in Wicklow will close in October as part of a nationwide withdrawal from commercial contracts.

The move follows a cabinet decision in May to begin winding down hotel and guesthouse arrangements for people who arrived before March 14, 2024, with the Department of Justice now implementing the policy region by region.

In a written parliamentary reply to Wicklow TD John Brady, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said County Wicklow currently has 14 active contracts providing accommodation to temporary protection beneficiaries.

However, three of those centres - the Royal Hotel in Bray, Sinnotts in Carnew and Astervale - have now been formally notified that their State contracts will end in October.

The Royal Hotel in Bray, one of the county’s largest and longest running centres, will cease accommodating residents on October 18. Astervale and Sinnotts Carnew will close on October 31.

Residents have been told they must leave by the dates specified, with the properties returning to private use thereafter.

The minister said decisions on the remaining contracts are “ongoing”, indicating further closures may follow as the national transition programme progresses.

All three locations have housed Ukrainian families since early 2022 at the outset of the war, and their withdrawal represents a substantial reduction in Wicklow’s emergency capacity.

The Department issued an update outlining the closures and confirming that affected residents had received advance notice along with information on available transition supports.

The phase out forms part of a wider shift in government policy as Ireland moves away from emergency hotel based accommodation and towards what officials describe as “greater independence” for temporary protection beneficiaries.

The minister said the transition programme includes supports from the Irish Red Cross and the International Organisation for Migration, who are assisting residents with identifying alternative accommodation options.

Those who remain in need of State support may apply for designated centres, though capacity is limited and demand is expected to be high as the withdrawal continues.

The government’s decision to begin ending contracts for pre‑March 2024 arrivals comes ahead of the scheduled expiry of the EU Temporary Protection Directive on March 4, 2027.

Ministers have repeatedly signalled that the emergency model introduced in 2022 is no longer sustainable, with more than 600 commercial contracts already wound down nationwide over the past two years.

The Department says it will continue to prioritise accommodation for people with identified vulnerabilities, but acknowledges that the transition will be challenging for many families.

The minister’s reply did not provide a full list of the remaining 11 active contracts in Wicklow, nor did it indicate when decisions on those properties will be made.

However, the Department has said that further notifications will be issued as the regional phase out continues. The national programme is expected to run from August 2026 to March 2027, meaning additional closures in Wicklow are likely before the end of the year.