Kildare Residents Not Consulted About 60 Modular Homes Being Built To House Ukrainian Refugees

Friday, 19 August 2022 12:19

By Caoimhe Harney

The homes are due to be completed by November.

Some 30 modular units are planned for construction in Beechgrove, Rathangan and another 30 in Lakeside Park, Newbridge.

The units will house Ukrainian refugees and work is due to start in September and to be finished by November.

Local residents have told KFM that they have been blind sided and were never consulted about the units by the Government.

Sinn Féin has said it supports the Government’s efforts to provide emergency accommodation to Ukrainian families fleeing the war, however, it said the proposed sites are far from ideal.

It said these are areas with a very significant social housing need, where levels of homelessness are rising, while other public services including GPs and school places are under serious pressure.

Sinn Féin has said if the Government is to proceed with the proposed modular development on these sites it must be accompanied by adequate GP services for the existing community and the Ukrainian families.

It said the Department of Education must ensure adequate school places for the existing community and the Ukrainian children, while it said the Department of Housing must accelerate social housing provision and in areas without emergency accommodation provide additional emergency accommodation to meet the growing homelessness crisis.

The Department of Children must engage fully with the local community, including local political and community representatives.

It called for funding to be provided to local community organisations on the ground in these areas to assist them in integrating the families from Ukraine with the wider community, and to improve public transport.

Speaking on this morning's Kildare Today SF Cllr. Noel Connolly said many of the homes are being placed in under funded areas, listen back to the full interview here: