Motion for Ukrainian people to stay in Déise
The motion was unanimously supported at Waterford City Hall.
Waterford City and County Council have unanimously voted yes to a motion to let Ukrainian people, displaced by war, stay in Waterford.
At the September meeting of the Waterford Metropolitan District, Independent Cllr Donal Barry broached the subject of people from Ukraine living in direct provision centres.
In July, some 14 families living in Ocean View House Direct Provision Centre in Tramore were given notices to quit and to find other accommodation.
Cllr Barry requested that the Council write a letter to Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman on behalf of the Ukrainian refugees who have settled in Waterford over the last two years.
Cllr Barry said: "In relation to the people from Ukraine who received a notice to quit and who are staying in hotels, they're fairly distraught over the whole situation, a lot of them are working here in Waterford, there are children in schools."
He stressed that the Ukrainian people living in Waterford have integrated into their community.
He said: "In this climate, there is nowhere for them to go, so I'd be asking that we give our full support to them and that they are allowed to stay in Waterford."
The motion was unanimously supported by fellow councillors.
In February 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine under the leadership of Russian president Vladimir Putin. The war has displaced millions of Ukrainian civilians.
According to the Central Statistics Offices (CSO), as of June 2024, there were 107,406 arrivals from Ukraine. The war has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians.
