Tent camps likely to be needed within weeks amid surge in Ukrainian refugees

The number of people arriving in Ireland following Russia’s invasion exceeded 600 a day at various points last week, and has now reached more than 12,000 in total

Yulia Romanyuk, a refugee from the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, on O’Connell Street in Dublin. Picture: Bryan Meade

The government expects that tent accommodation for Ukrainian refugees will be required to be used within weeks, as unprecedented numbers of people flee the Russian invasion of the country.

The Defence Forces have set up an emergency tented facility at Gormanston camp in Meath, , which is now available for up to 320 refugees, in case the state cannot secure enough hotel rooms or vacant homes.

It will have army camp beds in shared spaces, ...