Calls Made For Site Of Former Ukrainian Accommodation Centre At Flood's Cross To Be Re-Purposed For Emergency Accommodation

Thursday, 10 April 2025 12:18

By Eoin Beatty

Construction of Flood's Cross accommodation centre in 2024

Cllr. Chris Pender wants to see homeless and frontline workers accommodated there

A local public representative has called for Kildare County Council to act and not let the site of a former Ukrainian accommodation centre go to waste.

Flood’s Cross, located in the townland of Newhall, just outside Naas was established in 2024 to provide emergency accommodation for those fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It was equipped with 387 en-suite sleeping cabins, covered walkways, a heated dining marquee with staggered meal times, and a host of other support services.

However, after the contract between the provider and Department of Integration ended in March, it now stands closed, with most of the infrastructure taken down.

Social Democrats Cllr. Chris Pender has called for Kildare County Council to re-purpose the site and use it as emergency accommodation for homeless people and frontline workers.

In a post on social media, Cllr. Pender said “in a time when our community faces severe housing shortages and frontline staff struggle to secure affordable accommodation, it is disheartening to see a significant investment—over €240,000 on sewerage systems and €140,000 on water infrastructure—unused and wasted.”

The Ukrainian Accommodation Centre was exempt from needing planning permission and Cllr. Pender has called on the Government to issue another exemption to allow the site to be re-purposed.

Fine Gael Cllr. Fintan Brett supported Cllr. Pender and in a message to Kfm, said “it’s shameful that this site is being decommissioned. We have many young Gardai, teachers and nurses who could be accommodated on a temporary fixed basis.”

However, a local resident who contacted Kfm said locals were advised that the site at Flood’s Cross would become a greenfield site once the emergency accommodation contract was finished.

Chris Pender will raise the matter at the next meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District.